The genus Cleome sensu stricto comprises ca. 22 species naturally distributed across several regions of western Eurasia and Africa, but taxonomic uncertainty persists, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. This study addresses conflicting taxonomic viewpoints regarding several Cleome taxa, namely C. canescens, C. donetzica, C. circassica, and C. daghestanica, which some authors consider distinct species, while others synonymize them under C. iberica or C. ornithopodioides. Based on morphological distinctions and geographic isolation, the recognition of these taxa as subspecies within C. iberica is proposed. The necessary nomenclatural combinations are provided. This study contributes to standardizing the taxonomy of Cleome s. str., offering nomenclatural options for future floristic research and plant conservation efforts.

Keywords: Cleome, endemics, plant naming, subspecies

Full text: PDF (Eng) 150K

1. Carlström A. 1984. A revision of Cleome series Ornithopodioides Tzvelev (Capparaceae). Willdenowia, 14: 119–130.
2. Didukh Ya.P., Burda R.I. 2007. Cleome ornithopodioides. In: Ecoflora of Ukraine. Vol. 5. Ed. Ya.P. Didukh. Kyiv: Phytosociocentre, pp. 542–543.
3. Dubovik O.N. [Dubovyk O.M.], Tkachenko V.S. 1967. Some new and rare plants of Southeastern Ukraine. Ukrainian Botanical Journal, 24(3): 50–54.
4. Dzotsenidze N. 2024. Endemics of the flora of Khvamli and Nakerala Ridges. Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, 18(1): 105–109.
5. Iljinska A.P. 2014. The family Cleomaceae in the flora of Ukraine. Ukrainian Botanical Journal, 71(1): 29–35. https://doi.org/10.15407/ukrbotj71.01.029
6. McNeill J. 2014. Holotype specimens and type citations: General issues. Taxon, 63(5): 1112–1113. https://doi.org/10.12705/635.7
7. Onyshchenko V.A., Mosyakin S.L., Korotchenko I.A., Danylyk I.M., Burlaka M.D., Fedoronchuk M.M., Chorney I.I., Kish R.Ya., Olshanskyi I.H., Shiyan N.M., Zhygalova S.L., Tymchenko I.A., Kolomiychuk V.P., Novikov A.V., Boiko G.V., Shevera M.V., Protopopova V.V. 2022. IUCN Red List categories of vascular plant species of the Ukrainian flora. Ed. V.A. Onyshchenko. Kyiv: FOP Huliaeva V.M., 198 pp.
8. Ostapko V.M., Yena A.V., Mulienkova O.H., Peregrym M.M. 2009. Cleome ornithopodioides. In: Red Data Book of Ukraine. Plant Kingdom. Ed. Ya.P. Didukh. Kyiv: Globalconsulting, p. 383.
9. Peregrym M.M. 2006. New locations of rare species of plants in the Donetsk Ridge area. Ukrainian Botanical Journal, 63(4): 519–522.
10. POWO. 2024–onward. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available at: http://wwwplantsoftheworldonline.org (Accessed 14 January 2024)
11. Roalson E.H. 2021. A revised synonymy, typification, and key to species of Cleome sensu stricto (Cleomaceae). Phytotaxa, 496(1): 54–68. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.496.1.2
12. Tzvelev N.N. 1963. Cleome ornithopodioides L. sensu lato in URSS. Botanicheskie Materialy Gerbariya Botanicheskogo Instituta Imeni V.L. Komarova Akademii Nauk SSSR (Leningrad [St. Petersburg]), 22: 122–134.
13. Tzvelev N.N. 1979. Cleome. In: Flora Evropeískoí Chasti SSSR. Vol. 4. Ed. A.A. Fedorov. Leningrad [Saint Petersburg]: Nauka, pp. 29–30.
14. Tzvelev N.N. 2012. Cleome. In: Conspectus Florae Europae Orientalis. Vol. 1. Ed. N.N. Tzvelev. Saint Petersburg; Moscow: KMK, p. 363.