<i>Crocus pallidus</i> (Iridaceae)—A Neglected Species for the Bulgarian Flora and Critical Taxon in the Balkans
2022
Tsvetanka Raycheva | Kiril Stoyanov | Samir Naimov | Elena Apostolova-Kuzova | Yulian Marinov
For a long time, the Balkan endemic species <i>Crocus pallidus</i> has been unconfirmed and neglected for the flora of Bulgaria. It has remained an uncertain species from the Balkans, often listed as a synonym of <i>C. weldenii</i>. The morphological resemblance to the albinistic forms of <i>C. chrysanthus</i> has led to incorrect identification in the past, resulting in uncertainty regarding the distribution of this species in Bulgaria. In this regard, a detailed morphological and anatomical study of Bulgarian natural populations was carried out. A phylogenetic comparison in the ITS region of two Bulgarian populations of <i>C. pallidus</i> with other related species was conducted, revealing the distinction of <i>C. pallidus</i> populations from the closely related <i>C. weldenii</i>. The recently described new endemic species from Turkey, <i>C. thracicus</i>, shows very similar morphological and anatomical characteristics to <i>C. pallidus</i> and logically continues the distribution range in Eastern Thrace, along the Black Sea coast. We have a basis for suggesting that it should be treated as a synonym of <i>C. pallidus</i>.
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