This plant only grows in Adana! They named this one-of-a-kind species 'Adanus'...

Prof. Dr. İsmail Eker, a faculty member at the Department of Biology, Botany Division at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, along with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sağıroğlu from Sakarya University, introduced a unique plant species to the literature following laboratory studies, literature reviews, and comparisons.

The plant was given the mythological name of the city where it was discovered. The plant, which entered scientific literature as "Gladiolus adanus Eker & Sağıroğlu," was given the Turkish name "Adana kılıçotu."

IT WAS GIVEN THE CITY'S MYTHOLOGICAL NAME

Prof. Dr. Eker stated that he encountered a slender-structured gladiolus (Gladiolus) species with small fruit capsules during fieldwork in the Tufanbeyli district of Adana in 2016.

Eker explained that the plant appeared different from other species, and he returned to the region in 2018 to collect samples and examine the plant while it was in bloom for identification purposes.

Noting that they conducted studies on the plant with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sağıroğlu from Sakarya University, Eker said, "In 2023, we went to the area where the plant was found and made further observations. As a result of our literature reviews and comparisons with existing species, we concluded that our plant was a new species that had not yet been named in the scientific world. The plant showed differences from other species in terms of flower color, the dimensions of its floral parts, and its seed and fruit characteristics."

WHAT DOES ADANUS MEAN?

Eker mentioned that he has previously given names related to cities, districts, mountains, scientists, family members, or the morphological or habitat characteristics of the plants he has discovered, and continued as follows:

"This time, we gave this plant the mythological name of the city. We could have given the plant the current name of Adana. In that case, the plant's name would have been 'Gladiolus adanensis.' That is how it would have been according to Latin language rules. However, the mythological name of Adana, 'Adanus,' did not need any suffixes due to its word structure. This was both phonetically pleasing to the ear and tongue, and it meant that the mythological name of such an ancient city would be given to a plant."

Touching upon the various views regarding the origin of the name Adana, Eker said, "According to one mythological legend among these views, the sky god Uranus had two sons named Adanus and Sarus, who settled in the vicinity of present-day Adana following wars they fought with the people of Tarsus. While Adanus gave his name to the city they founded, Sarus gave his name to the Seyhan River. In this context, Adana is one of the oldest settlements, dating back to 6000 B.C., that has kept the same name since the day it was founded. The name Adanus is also generally known by the local people."

HE HAS INTRODUCED 22 SPECIES

Stating that for a plant to be accepted as a new species, it must be published in a national or international peer-reviewed scientific journal, Eker said, "After preparing the article, we submitted it with our arguments to the New Zealand-based international journal 'Phytotaxa.' Experts in the field reviewed our article and approved the new species we presented. Our article was published in the March issue of the journal."

Prof. Dr. Eker added that with this newly discovered plant, the number of species he has introduced to the literature to date has reached 22.