(Iridaceae)-A New Species for the Bulgarian Flora.

This is the first report on the autumn-flowering species , belonging to . ser. from the Bulgarian flora. The species was found in Southeastern Bulgaria, in the area between Ahtopol and Rezovo. Re-examining the Bulgarian collections, the earliest specimen was collected in 1975, was probably overlooked, and most likely determined as . The nearest known localities of the species are on the territory of Türkiye. In this study, we compared and using DNA sequence data from the nuclear ITS1/2 region and morphological features. Our study showed a close relationship between the specimens from Bulgaria and the recently deposited data of and their separation from the closely related . Together with the previously cited white anthers as a key feature for determination, the molecular data confirmed a clear distinction between the samples with white anthers in the two species. The morphological data of our taxon overlapped with the description of . The molecular data strongly supported the affiliation of s.l., but did not support the recognition of as a separate species and it should be referred to as a subspecies of subsp. Rukšāns.