Stachys vuralii (Lamiaceae), a new species from north Anatolia, Turkey

Stachys vuralii Yildiz, Dirmenci & Akcicek (Lamiaceae), a new species of the section Eriostomum is described from north Anatolia, Turkey. Detailed illustrations and taxonomic comments are provided along with a table listing the differential characters to the closely related S. byzantina and S. thirkei. Delimitations towards S. byzantina and S. thirkei and existence of putative hybrids are discussed. A phylogenetic analysis using ITS of nuclear ribosomal DNA confirmed the status of S. vuralii as a distinct species. The geographical location of S. vuralii is also presented.