A new diploid Hieracium (Asteraceae: Lactuceae) from Bulgaria

Hieracium kittanae Vladimirov, a new diploid (2n = 18) species restricted to a few gorges in the Central Rhodope Mountains, south Bulgaria, is described and illustrated. It occurs in crevices of limestone rock in shady to sunny places with high atmospheric humidity. Morphologically, it to some extent resembles taxa from the H. glaucinum and H. schmidtii groups, but is otherwise very distinct, without close relatives in the Rhodope and neighbouring mountains. (C) 2003 The Linnean Society of London.