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Abstract
The morphology of the Eurasian Carex acuta L. has remained poorly characterized, which has allowed its traditional usage as a taxonomic hotchpotch, in which other similar taxa have been included. In this study, we clarify the taxonomic status of C. acuta and assess the delimitation of two similar species found in the southern part of the C. acuta range: Carex panormitana Guss. and Carex kurdica Kük. ex Hand.-Mazz. To this purpose, we performed a detailed morphological study of 101 vouchers from 19 herbaria, including the type material of the three studied taxa and additional related species. Some distinct populations previously regarded as C. acuta were ascribed to C. panormitana or C. kurdica. Detailed morphological descriptions are provided for C. acuta, C. kurdica and C. panormitana. The ranges of the three taxa are revised in the Central–Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, and new records of C. panormitana in North Africa and of C. kurdica in Eastern Europe and Mediterranean Anatolia are presented. An epitype is proposed for C. kurdica to complement the identity of the lectotype, as this is immature.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank E. Martinetto and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments that greatly contributed to improve the manuscript, the curators and staff from BEO, BEOU, BM, E, GDOR, FI, K, IRAN, LINN, M, MA, MPU, RNG, SO, SOM, UPOS and WU for granting herbarium loans and their help during in situ studies of collections, Dr. P. V. Arrigoni for granting permission to reproduce him C. panormitana plate, Dr R. Vallariello from NAP herbarium for kindly providing images of C. panormitana lectotypus, and the Natural History Museum of Belgrade, especially Dr O. Vasić, for her kind attention and help during field campaigns in Serbia.