Enriching Turkey's plant diversity with new species he discovered

Prof. Dr. İsmail Eker, a faculty member in the Department of Biology, Botany Division at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, is known for his discovery of new species that contribute to expanding Turkey's plant spectrum.

Most recently, Eker discovered two new plant species in Kayseri and Niğde, and by conducting laboratory studies and comparisons with floras from various countries, he introduced two unique plant species to the literature.

Eker has increased the number of plants he has discovered to date to 21 as part of his scientific work, which has been ongoing for 23 years. During fieldwork in the Tomarza district of Kayseri last July, Eker encountered an interesting wild onion species, collected samples of the plant, and took photographs. As a result of his laboratory work and literature comparisons, he determined that this plant was a new, unnamed species for the scientific world.

Eker named this new species "Allium serpenticola Eker" and designated its Turkish name as "Tomarza soğanı" (Tomarza onion). The relevant article was published in the international scientific journal "Phytotaxa".

Work on the second species took place over a longer period. Examining a plant he collected in 2013 at the foothills of the Bolkar Mountains in the Ulukışla district of Niğde, Eker determined through literature comparisons that this plant was also a new species. For this plant, Eker chose the name "Leopoldia nigdeensis Eker & Eroğlu" and announced its Turkish name as "Niğde morbaşı" (Niğde grape hyacinth). The relevant article was also published in the international scientific journal "Phytotaxa".