Notes on Crocus L. Series Flavi Mathew (Iridaceae) and a new species with unique corm structure. Crocus asymmetricus - a new species with unique corm structure

Crocus asymmetricus (Iridaceae) is described as a new species endemic to the southern part of the Anatolian diagonal in Turkey. It is phylogenetically related to C. vitellinus and morphologically to C. antalyensis, but differs from these species in showing an asymmetric corm and a single point of root emergence. A phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian phylogenetic inference of the combined sequences of the nuclear rDNA ITS region confirms the affiliation of C. asymmetricus to C. ser. Flavi, and its close relationship to C. vitellinus. A microphotograph of the metaphase chromosomes (2n = 2x = 8), along with an idiogram is provided. A new identification key to the species of C. ser. Flavi occurring in Turkey is presented. The morphological features of C. ser. Flavi are compared. The corms of C. adanensis, which also shows a distinctive corm structure, are illustrated.