Seseli salsugineum (Apiaceae), a new species from Central Anatolia, Turkey

A new species, Seseli salsugineum A.Duran & Lyskov (Apiaceae), is described from Lake Tuz Gölü area, Central Anatolia, Turkey. The new species is related to S. transcaucasicum and S. libanotis and differs in stem features (up to 200 cm tall and 5‒15 mm ⌀ vs. up to 80 cm tall and up to 6 mm ⌀ or up to 150 cm tall and 10‒20 mm ⌀), stem base pubescence (glabrous vs. densely pubescent or sometimes pubescent), leaf blades pubescence (glabrous with scabrid margin vs. entirely scabrid or glabrous), bracts 0.3‒0.8 mm wide, without membranous margin (vs. 1‒3 mm wide, with membranous margin), umbellules (tight, 5‒12 mm ⌀ vs. not tight 13‒15 mm ⌀ or 5‒6 mm ⌀), stylopodium depressed (not conical), mericarp ridges (finely ridged vs. distinctly ridged), fruit anatomy (vallecular vittae 3 vs. vallecular vittae solitary or 1‒2), habitat (salty marshes and salt steppes vs. grassy meadows, sparse forests, clearings in mountain forests, and subalpine meadows), and distributional range. In addition, S. salsugineum is recognized as a closely related to S. transcaucasicum and S. libanotis species by molecular analysis of nrITS/ETS.

New Insights of Potassium Sources Impacts as Foliar Application on ‘Canino’ Apricot Fruit Yield, Fruit Anatomy, Quality and Storability

This is the first report to study the impacts of potassium sources on apricot fruit yield, quality and storability as a preharvest foliar application. Five sources of potassium (K-humate, K-sulphate, K-nitrate, K-silicate and K-citrate), plus water as a control treatment, were applied individually at 0.2% three times on ‘Canino’ apricot over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The results showed that all potassium salts, applied foliarly, have potential to improve yield, fruit color, and some fruit physical attributes, such as: weight, size and firmness, as well as a reduced lipid peroxidation, accompanied by a low fruit malondialdehyde content reflected in a high tolerance during storage. The K-nitrate treatment was more effective in the improvement of fruit yield, preharvest quality parameters and keeping fruit postharvest quality characteristics from sharp decline during cold storage. Concerning fruit anatomy, K-nitrate and K-citrate showed thicker cuticle and epidermal parenchyma cell diameters, while the K-silicate induced the highest cell wall thickness. K-nitrate was the most economical, and could be recommended for apricot growers in the Nubaria region of Egypt.

Seseli besserianum (Apiaceae), a restored species and a replacement name for Seseli peucedanifolium Besser

The taxonomic status of Seseli peucedanifolium Besser, a little-known and neglected species in the Bulgarian flora, has been revisited. The study of its morphology, fruit anatomy and sequence data (ITS and ETS) revealed that it should not be treated at infraspecific rank under S. rigidum or synonymized with S. tortuosum or S. arenarium. Seseli besserianum nom. nov. is herein proposed as a replacement name for S. peucedanifolium Besser, a later homonym of S. peucedanifolium Mérat.