Nickel Hyperaccumulation in Bornmuellera kiyakii Aytaç Aksoy and Associated Plants of the Brassicaceae from Kızıldağ (Derebucak, Konya-Turkey)

Recent exploration of an area of ultramafic geology in south-western Turkey led to the discovery and description of a new species, Bornmuellera kiyakii Aytaç Aksoy (Brassicaceae). This was of particular interest to us because of the earlier discovery of nickel hyperaccumulation (Ni concentrations exceeding 0.1% of plant dry weight) in 6 other taxa in this small genus from Albania, Greece,and Turkey. We report herein that B. kiyakii is also a Ni hyperaccumulator, based on a population near Çamlýk that showed a mean Niconcentration exceeding 8000 mg kg–1 of dried leaf material. Several other members of the Brassicaceae at the same site–species of Alyssum L., Pseudosempervivum (Boiss.) Grossh. (formerly in Cochlearia L.) and Thlaspi L.–also act as Ni hyperaccumulators.