The Anatolian Diagonal: fact or fiction?

Abstract

Synopsis An analysis of the 8 published volumes of the Flora of Turkey was made in order to determine if there was a factual basis for the concept of an Anatolian Diagonal affecting plant distribution in Turkey. The data accumulated indicated that a substantial number of species ( c. 2600) have distributions associated with the Diagonal this total accounts for c . 32% of the number of species in the 8 volumes: 5% are ± restricted to the Diagonal; 14% are absent from the W of it and 13% from the E. Some suggestions are made for the reasons for this floral break.