Salvia revelata, a new plant species discovered in Romania

An international Romanian-Hungarian-Ukrainian research team has discovered a new species of plant in Romania, Salvia revelata, informs the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR).

"Although it is not a rare plant, but has a wide distribution throughout the steppe region of Europe, this species of sage has simply been hidden in plain sight for centuries, being mistakenly identified as Salvia austriaca, a common species of Central Europe, which this plant is closely related with," according to the press release.

"Researchers have named it Salvia revelata in Latin, reflecting the laborious process of revealing the correct identity of this cryptic taxon, and as a vernacular name they have proposed the Pontic sedge. Salvia sedge is distinguished from Salvia austriaca (Austrian sedge) on the basis of differences of floral morphology, genetics, pollination biology, ecology and distribution," said botanist Matis Attila, researcher of Babes Bolyai University (UBB) from Cluj-Napoca and the coordinator of the team that made this important discovery.

The new species is related to the Pontic steppe habitats, so in Romania it is restricted to the steppe meadows of Dobrogea. Experts consider this part of the country a real treasure of biodiversity, a place where different biogeographical regions meet, which makes the flora and fauna very rich, Mediterranean, Central European and Asian species being present here.

According to the quoted source, seven years ago, during the studies carried out in the Padurea Dumbraveni Reservation in Dobrogea, botanist Szabo Anna noticed that some specimens of Salvia austriaca looked a little different in Dobrogea compared to those in other regions of Europe - taller, more hairy.
"She drew the attention of her colleague, Matis Attila, to the plant, who, after carefully looking at the structure of the flower, had a revelation," the press release states.

The botanist Matis Attila has contributed in the last decade with very valuable discoveries about the local and worldwide flora