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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

A New Species of the genus Centaurea

(Asteraceae) from Jerusalem, Palestine

By: Daoud Ibrahim Al-Hali Botany Teacher at the Gifted School and the Ras Al-Amoud Comprehensive

School, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Palestine

Address: P.O. Box 51342, Al-Quds (Jerusalem). E-mail: daoudalhali@yahoo.com

Abstract

A new species of the genus Centaurea L. (Asteraceae) from Palestine, Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015 is described, illustrated and mapped. The distribution and ecology of this new species is presented and discussed. It is a distinct species among the other Flora Palaestina species belonging to Centaurea.

نم يضبق Centaureaساز( سيس )انم شبت انم في ٌري اندزاصت تىاَل وُع جديد مه جىش ع : تم لخصمُ

تميزاً سيس م عتبس ٌرا انىُع مه انم َي . . َقد تم َصف انىُع َتفضيس خصائصً همياً مه قبمع تصىيفً

انعثُز عهّ تم . انجىش قازوت مع األوُاع األخسِ مه وفشذاث انحجم انكبيس م في شكم أَزاقًخاصت

عهّ يد ، انشسيف ( في بهدة عىاتا شمال شسقي مديىت انقدسCentaurea anathothسيس عىاتا وُع )م

.5102 )أبسيم( بساٌيم انٍاني في شٍس ويضانإانباحث داَد

Keywords: New species, Centaurea, Centaurea anathoth, Asteraceae, NE

Jerusalem, Al-Quds, Anata, Palestine, Flora Palaestina

Introduction The genus Centaurea L. is one of the largest genera in Asteraceae. The number of species included in this genus ranges between 200 - 700 species depending on the classification (Ӧzler et al. 2009) making it one of the largest genera in the family (Garcia-Jacas et al. 2001). It's distributed in Asia, North Africa, North America and Europe (Köse and Alan, 2013); mainly in the N. hemisphere (Feinbrun-Dothan, 2000). Centaurea is a taxonomically difficult genus (Ranjbar et al. 2012). Field studies resulted in the discovery of many new species of Centaurea during the recent decades (Negaresh, 2014).

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

Centaurea and its relatives were handled broadly in respect of taxonomy during the last ten years in Turkey. In recent years, many species of Centaurea had been discovered, illustrated and described (Wagenitz, Ertugrul & Dural 1998; Aytac & Duman 2005; Mozaffarian 2006; Uzunhisarcikli, Dogan & Duman 2007; Duran, Ozturk & Dogan 2009; Mozaffarian 2010; Köse and Alan 2013; Negaresh, Ranjbar & Rahminejad 2014; Bancheva, Kaya & Binzet 2014; Cinbilgei, Eren & Duman 2014; Bona 2015) in particular in Turkey and Iran. There are about 200 species which were identified in Turkey and they are divided into 34 sections (Köse & Alan 2013). The genus is represented by 70 species in Iran (Ranjbar 2012) and only 25 species in Palestine (Danin 1998). During a flora survey in the Village of Anata, north east Jerusalem, Palestine, an unidentified specimen of the genes Centaurea with fairly long basal leaves was collected. This specimen has been compared with other Centaurea specimens collected and conserved in the author's local herbarium from the last ten years. Several communications were made with local and Turkish botanists asking about this new Centaurea sp. It was confirmed that they did not see this species before. Therefore, description and illustration were carried out and location was mapped.

Figure 1. A specimen of Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015, with dense basal leaves.

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

Description

Biennial herb. 20-30 cm. Divaricately branched from base. Leaves: basal leaves (3-7* 6-7 cm), Cauline (belonging to or arising from a stem or axis) leaves sessile; upper leaves (4-6* 0.5-1 cm) serrulate to entire. Serrate-dentate, often spiny-toothed. Connate at base, appressed-hairy, oblong-lanceolate, entire or serrate. Upper leaves linear, entire. Petioles: of basal leaves villose, densely whitish, 6-9 cm. Petioles of middle leaves 2-3 cm. Upper leaves: very short petioles less than 1 cm. Stems: erect, densely adpressed whitish tomentose 20-25 cm high, forming tufts, slightly ascending. Branched above with 3-9 terminal spiny capitula, branches 2 to 5 cm. Involucral bracts like Centaurea iberica: glabrous, leathery, narrowly white-membranous, ending in a strong canaliculated spine flanked at base by 2-3 pairs of spinules. Appendage: (3.1-3.5* 0.7-1.2cm). Composed of 10-14 spines. Spines of intermediate involucral bracts 3-5 mm broad at base; longest spines of the head 2-3 cm. (similar to Centaurea iberica) (Feinbrun-Dothan 2000). Rootstocks: Woody rootstocks, densely branched. Flowering: April - July. Flowers: Strong yellow flowering heads 1-2 cm in diameter, Radiant.

Type Specimen:

Palestine, Al-Quds (Jerusalem): North-East, Anata Village, 5 km distance, elevation 765 meter above sea level, mountainous area, chalky soil, roadside (31°80.831'N, 35°25.230'E). See figure 4 that shows detailed location of Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015 in NE Jerusalem and two other dominate species of Centaurea.

Figure 2. Appendage and upper leaves of Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

Figure 3. Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015. (a) basal leaf, (b) middle leaf and (c) upper

leaf.

Distribution and Ecology Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015 was identified and coordinated by GPS in the Village of Anata, NE Jerusalem city. The mountain area is within the transitional phytogeographical extension that represents the intermediate area, and belongs to the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian Territories. The range of this new species is restricted to a single location and it is exposed to actual degradation due to active

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

construction and urbanization that threat the new species habitat. Most dominate species in this area are: Inula viscose, Cardaria draba and Centaurea hyalolepis, which grow in poor sloppy soil. The Author suggests that Centaurea anathoth is an endemic species that should be placed under the CR (Critically Endangered) category.

Figure 4. Geographical distribution of Centaurea anathoth Hali, 2015 in Al-Quds

(Jerusalem) District, Palestine.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Yavuz Bȕlent Köse from Anadolu University, Turkey, who suggested that the specimens could represent a new species. I also thank Prof. Dr. Zeki Aytaç from Gazi University, Turkey, who coordinated me to search more about this unknown species. Many thanks go to Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf–von Jaffa from Kuwait University who revised the manuscript and encouraged and helped me to publish this article. The detailed map was produced by Mr. "Doctorate student" Mohammad Muhsin from Birzeit University, Palestine.

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

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Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 127 – July 2015

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