Asyneuma pichleri (Campanulaceae), a neglected species of the Balkan Peninsula

After a biometric study the taxon Asyneuma pichleri (Vis.) D. Lakui & F. Conti comb. nova is re-evaluated. This taxon, endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, has been confused in the past with A. trichocalycinum (Ten.) K. Malý. Lectotypes are designated for both taxa. Statistically significant differences were found between A. pichleri (from Balkan peninsula) and A. trichocalycinum (from Apennines) based on multivariate analysis and discriminant analysis of morphometric data. A. pichleri is morphologically well differentiated from the A. trichocalycinum by its longer corolla lobes and style. These differences are particularly pronounced when considering the ratios between corolla length/width and style length/stigma length.We would particularly like to thank Prof. Radomir Lakui from Sarajevo, who has pointed to differences between the Apennines and Balkan populations of the A. trichocalycinum complex, and who has induced our research. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our colleagues for helping us in solving many problems and dilemmas: Annalisa Santangelo (Herbarium Neapolitanum, NAP), Rossella Marcucci (Erbario Patavinum, PAD), Anna Millozza (Erbario – RO, Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza), Prof. Vladimir Stevanovi and Gordana Tomovi (Department of Plant Ecology and Phytogeography, Faculty of Biology University of Belgrade), Sneana Vukojii (Herbarium of Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden Jevremovac University of Belgrade, BEOU), Olja Vasi and Marjan Niketi (Natural-History Museum Belgrade, BEO), Prof. Werner Greuter (Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem), Dr Kit Tan (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh), Prof. Vlado Matevski (Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Skopje), Chavdar Gussev (Institute of Botany, Bulgarian Academy of Science), and to anonymous reviewers for many proposals and improvements.