A new variety of Plocama calabrica (Rubiaceae) from Denizli (Turkey) confirmed by morphological and molecular ISSR markers

Abstract

Plocama calabrica (L.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin var. alba Gokturk, O.D.Dusen, B.Gurcan & U. Sarpkaya variety nova is described from South-West Anatolia. The new variety grows on limestone slopes between Akpinar and Yaylapinar villages in the Cameli district in Denizli. It is closely related to P. calabrica var. calabrica, and can be readily distinguished by morphological and molecular characters from the related variety. Taxonomic comments such as descriptive and diagnostic characters, distribution and ecology, phenology and proposed conservation status for this new variety are given in the current study. Morphological affinities and the inter-simple-sequence repeat (ISSR)-PCR based phylogenetic relationships between the new and the related variety are also discussed