Inthe present study, a new subspecies (Phoenix theophrasti Greuter subsp.golkoyana Boydak) is described in Turkey. The unidentified Phoenix taxon nativeto Bodrum–Gölköy, Aegean Turkey and named as the “Gölköy Phoenix population”has been known to Gölköy’s inhabitants for centuries. The Gölköy Phoenixpopulation was considered to be representative of P. theophrasti. Boydak madethe first of a number of trips to Gölköy and immediately noticed some distinctdifferences between the Gölköy Phoenix population, P. theophrasti Greuter, andPhoenix dactylifera L in the early summer of 1990. He continued hisinvestigations on this taxon for many years to shed light on the subject. Hemade two new trips to the three native stands of P. theophrasti and the GölköyPhoenix populations in 2015 and 2018. Measurements and observations were madeon the morphological characteristics that showed distinct differences among theGölköy Phoenix population, P. theophrasti, and P. dactylifera. These wererelated to the length of male stalks and female inflorescences and some fruitand seed characteristics. The results indicate that some distinctivemorphological characteristics of the “Gölköy Phoenix population” merit itsbeing described as a new subspecies. “Phoenix theophrasti Greuter subsp.golkoyana Boydak” differs from P. theophrasti Greuter with respect to itslonger fruiting-female stalk length and longer male stalk length, its fruitingstalks hold fruits marginally higher, and its having seeds with slightlyvisible striate surface crust structures and deeper-wider grooves.
Cite this paper as: Boydak, M., 2019. A newsubspecies of Phoenix theophrasti Greuter (Phoenix theophrasti Greuter subsp.golkoyana Boydak) from Turkey. Forestist 69(2): 133-144.