Ranunculus solhanensis Behcet & A. Sinan 2021, sp. nov.

Ranunculus solhanensis Behçet & A.Sinan, sp. nov. (Fig. 1 ‒3).

Type:― TURKEY. B8 Bingöl: Solhan, Yaylım Mountain, rocky slopes, 38°80’267”N 40°98’814”E, 1713 m a.s.l., 08 April 2018, A. SİNAN 1781 (holotype: Bingöl Univ. Biology Dept. Herbarium (BIN), isotypes Bingöl Univ. Biology Dept. Herbarium and ANK).

Paratype:― TURKEY. B8 Bingöl: Solhan, Yaylım Mountain, rocky slopes, 38°80’267”N 40°98’814”E, 1713 m a.s.l., 19 May 2018, A. SİNAN 2067. Bingöl Univ. Biology Dept. Herbarium (BIN).

FIGURE 3. A, C) R. solhanensis B) R. bulbilliferus D) R. munzurensis

Diagnose:― Ranunculus solhanensis is closely related to R. bulbilliferus and R. munzurensis. It mainly differs from R. bulbilliferus by sepals 7‒8.5 mm long (versus 4‒6 mm), petal size 10‒14 × 6‒9 mm (versus 6‒8.5 × 3‒4.5. mm) and indumentum of achenes (Fig.6) hairy (versus glabrous). R. solhanensis differs from R. munzurensis with rhizome length 1‒45 mm (versus 10‒14 mm), glabrous stem (versus pilose above, glabrous below) (Fig. 5), dilated at the base of cauline leaves with bulbils (versus bulbil absent), sepal 7‒8.5 mm long (versus 2‒4 mm), petal 10‒14 × 6‒9 mm (versus 7‒9 × 4‒5 mm), achenes 3 × 3‒3.5 mm and hairy (versus 2.5‒3.5× 2.5‒3 mm and glabrous)

Description:― Perennial, 6‒22 cm tall, glabrous (excluding achenes); Roots dimorphic, root system of stout, clavate or fusiform tubers, 10‒45 m long and fibrous roots, short stock with silky scales, neck glabrous. Stem unbranched or branched above; branches 1‒3 flowered. Radical leaves with 3.5‒14 cm petioles, shortly vaginate at base; lamina pedately tripartit or trisect, middle segment cuneate, trilobed to 1/5‒1/3, lateral segments bipartite to 3/4‒4/5 lobes oblong or oblong‒ovate, obtuse. Cauline leaves 3‒5; lower ones distinctly petiolate, trisect, middle ones bi‒ or trisect, upper ones linear‒lanceolate sometimes absent. Sepals broadly oblong to ovate, obtuse, 7‒8.5 × 2.5‒3 mm, spreading, greenish‒yellow. Petals yellow, obovate, retuse at apex or not, sometimes shortly claved or not, 10‒14 × 6‒9 mm. Anther 1.3‒1.8 mm and flament 1.3‒2 mm long. Fruiting head orbicular‒ovate, 3‒6 mm diameter. Mature achenes 30‒35, compressed laterally, semiorbicular without tubercles, pilose hairy, 3‒4 × 3‒3.5 mm, with 0.5 mm straigth beak.

Phenology: —Flowering in April and fruiting in May

Etymology:― Epithet of Ranunculus solhanensis is derived from the name of the Solhan district (Bingöl), where the type specimen was found.

Phytogeographic region:—Irano‒Turanian

Specimens examined: ― Ranunculus solhanensis:— Turkey. B9 Bingöl: Solhan, Yaylım Mount., rocky slopes, 38°80’267”N 40°98’814”E, 1713 m elevation, 23 April 2018, A. SİNAN 1952. ― Ranunculus bulbilliferus:— Turkey. B9 Van: Erek mountain southeast of Çoravanis village, around Çilehane region, 2000–2200 m elavation, 15 May 2000, L. Behçet 6242; same place, 27 May 2000, L. Behc ̧et 6254 (VANF), B9 Van: Çatak, Bilgi Villlage, South slopes, Rocky areas, 1900 m elavation, 17 May 2003, M. Pınar 1435 (VANF). ― Ranunculus munzurensis:— Turkey B7 Tunceli: Ovacık, Munzur mountain, Karagöl valley, 1300–1500 m elevation, 6 May 1979, Yıldırımlı 1379 (holotype HUB), Turkey B7 Tunceli: Ovacık, between Yoncalı and Ağaçpınar villages, rock crevices, 2015 m elavation, 01 June 2015, M. Armağan 6540 (BIN).

Concervation status:― Ranunculus solhanensis is known only from the type locality (Solhan, Bingöl). Its area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 km 2, and the number of mature individuals is less than 200. The species must be regarded as Critically Endangered [CR B1 a] (IUCN 2019).

Distribution and Ecology:― Ranunculus solhanensis (Fig. 8) grows on nortwest face of rocky slopes at 1700‒ 1800 m in Solhan province (Bingöl), Average rainfall in the area is 698.8 mm. The erosion effect is high due to the rugged and sloping land. R. solhanensis grows together with Ranunculus kochii Ledeb., Fritillaria minuta Boiss. & Noë, F. pinardii Boiss., Colchicum szovitsii Fisch. & C.A.Mey. subsp. szowitsii, Scilla siberica Haw. subsp. armena (Groshh.) Mordak, Rosularia radiciflora (Steud.) Borris. subsp. radiciflora, Rumex acetocella L., Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. subsp. pinnatiloba (K.Koch) Menitsky, Saxifraga sibirica L. in the rocky area.