A taxonomic revision of the Pilosella alpicola group in the Carpathians.

A taxonomic study of the Pilosella alpicola group growing in the Carpathians revealed the presence of two morphologically distinguishable taxa: P. ullepitschii (Błocki) Szeląg and P. rhodopea (Griseb.) Szeląg. While P. ullepitschii is endemic to the Carpathians, P. rhodopea is a Balkan subendemic with two isolated localities in the Southern Carpathians (Mt Cozia and Mt Zmeuretu). The core area of distribution of P. ullepitchii is the natural subalpine and alpine meadows of the Western Carpathians (the Vysoké and Západné Tatry Mts in Slovakia and Poland). In addition, only three isolated localities are known from the Nemira Mts (Romanian Eastern Carpathians) and one from the Bucegi Mts (Romanian Southern Carpathians). Interestingly, the Romanian populations occur in man-made habitats (secondary pastures). Karyological and flow cytometric analyses of 305 plants from 13 populations of P. ullepitschii revealed only diploid plants (2n = 2x = 18). One Carpathian population of P. rhodopea from Mt Cozia is also diploid. This is the first report of diploidy in this species. However, the populations from the main part of the distribution of this taxon in the Balkan mountains include other cytotypes. Detailed morphological descriptions and distributions for both taxa are given.