A new Teucrium L. (Lamiaceae) Species from South Anatolia (Turkey)

Abstract

In this study, a member of sect. Teucrium, hitherto undescribed as a new species, was analyzed based on morphological and micromorphological features and molecular findings. The closest species of the new species were defined according to leaf morphology via morphological characters. Leaf, stem, and nutlet trichome types were obtained and compared with resembling species. Moreover, two different DNA region sequences were used to evaluate its proper phylogenetic position in the section. The new species was described as Teucrium turcicum Cecen & Ozcan based on the results of using different approaches. According to our observations, flower color, leaf structure, and shape were the main distinctive morphological characters, leaf and nutlet trichomes were separative and informative, and nrITS DNA data had more informative characters than chloroplast DNA region data (trnL-F and rpl32) to determine phylogenetic relationship of the new species and its close relatives in sect. Teucrium.