CYCLAMEN-REPANDUM SIBTH-AND-SM IN KABYLIA (ALGERIA) - IGNORED BIOGEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCE AND BLURRED TAXONOMICAL STATUS

Isolated peripheral populations of species are worthy to study in an e volutionary context. Their taxonomic status is often controversial. Cy clamen repandum Sibth. & Sm. occupies a wide range from Var (southern France) to Rhodes throughout Mediterranean Europe, but it also occurs, very locally, in Africa (Petite Kabylie region in Algeria) with a few populations whose conservation is at risk. Ambiguous until now the ta xonomic status of these populations was precised thanks to statistical analysis of foliar and floral morphology of a few cultivated individu als and herbarium exsiccata. We defined and described this taxon as a distinctive variety corresponding to var. baborense Debussche & Quezel . Distribution and ecology of this taxon were described; its biogeogra phical significance and its conservation were discussed.