| Abstract Detail
Pteridological Section/AFS Al-Zein, Mohammad [1], Bolin, Jay F. [1], Chikhali, Mwaffak [2], Musselman, Lytton John [1]. Isoetes (Isoetaceae: Lycopsida) in Lebanon and Syria. Isoetes (Isoetaceae) is a cosmopolitan genus of grass-like lycopods with hundreds of described species and hybrids. In Lebanon and Syria, this genus is represented by the two diploids (2n = 22) Isoetes olympica A. Braun and I. histrix forma subinermis Dur. While I. olympica is restricted to a small area in Jabal El-Arab, Southeast Syria, I. histrix forma subinermis was reported from Akkar Province, North Lebanon. In his “Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie”, Paul Mouterde predicted that I. histrix forma subinermis occurs in Southwest Syria, across the border with Akkar Province, Lebanon. No specimens were however collected from that area. We here report the occurrence of this taxon in Southwest Syria. Nucleotide sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) of the Lebanese and Syrian Isoetes revealed that I. histrix forma subinermis is distinct from I. histrix Dur. ex Bory and I. subinermis (Durieu) Cesca & Peruzzi (= I. histrix forma subinermis). We therefore describe the Syrian and Lebanese representatives previously referred to as I. histrix forma subinermis in floras of the area as a new species and differentiate it from I. olympica, I. histrix and I. subinermis (with which it was confused) using morphological, molecular and karyological evidence.
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1 - Old Dominion University, Department of Biological Sciences, Mills Godwin Building, 45th Street, Norfolk, Virginia, 23529-0266, USA
2 - Freelance Environmental Consultant, Damascus, Syria
Keywords:
Isoetes
Lebanon
Syria.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Ball Room & Party Room/SUB
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2008
Time: 12:30 PM
Number: PPD005
Abstract ID:745 |
