Limonium schinousae Erben & Brullo, 2016

Brullo, Salvatore & Erben, Matthias, 2016, The genus Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) in Greece, Phytotaxa 240 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

68. Limonium schinousae Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 68 )

Type :— GREECE. Cyclades : Schinoussa, Merini Ainickolas, 31 August 1998, Bartolo & Brullo s.n. (holotype MSB-165814!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, glauca, 15–50 cm alta, foliis 10–35 × 3–6 mm, anguste spathulatis, retusis, verrucosis, punctatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, tuberculatis, ramosissimis, saepe proliferis, ramis sterilibus numerosis, spicis 10–60 mm longis, spiculis 10.0– 11.5 mm longis, 1–3-floris, ad 2–3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.3–3.2 × 2.0– 2.2 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, apice acuta, bractea media 2.8–3.5 × 2.0– 2.3 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 8.5–9.0 × 4.0– 4.5 mm, oblongo-elliptica, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 7.8–8.3 mm longo, ex bractea superiore ca. 2 mm exserto, tubo prope basim sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15–50 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 10–30 mm long, in the upper half densely branched and densely spirally leafy; living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves fleshy, rigid, verrucate, dotted, glaucous, 10–35 mm long and 3–6 mm broad, narrowly spathulate, apex obtuse, retuse, v-shaped in cross-section, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 15–40 cm long, flexuous, normally tuberculate with many crateriform glands, glaucous, branching begins near the base, very branched, sometimes proliferating in axils. Inflorescence obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches numerous, 1–6 cm long, straight to curved, longer branches branched in the upper half. Fertile branches numerous, 2–12 cm long, curved to flexuous, glaucous, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, directed obliquely upwards to spreading, forming branching angles of 30°–50°, branched. Spikes 10–60 mm long, straight, inserted erect to obliquely; axis of spike with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 10.0– 11.5 mm long, composed of 1–3 flowers, remotely arranged with 2–3 per cm. Outer bract 2.3–3.2 mm long and 2.0– 2.2 mm broad, more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8–3.5 mm long and 2.0– 2.3 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 8.5–9.0 mm long and 4.0– 4.5 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 6.8–7.5 mm long and 3.0– 3.4 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.9–1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 7.8–8.3 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by ca. 2 mm; calyx

150 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN tube with some short hairs near the base, with 5 ribs ending in the middle of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, semi-elliptical. Corolla lilac.

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 151

Distribution: —Restricted to the small island of Schinousa (near Naxos), where it is frequent ( Fig. 94C ).

Habitat: —Calcareous rocky coast.

Etymology: —The epithet “ schinousae ” refers to the island of Schinousa.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. schinousae has a habit similar to that one of L. crateriforme , but differs by having longer and more densely arranged spikelets, and longer calyces.

Specimens examined (Paratype): — GREECE. Cyclades: Schinoussa, Aliarya , 31 August 1998, Bartolo & Brullo s.n. (CAT) .

Figures

FIGURE 68. Limonium schinousae Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaf. (Drawn from “Schinoussa, Merini Ainickolas, Bartolo & Brullo s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 94. (Map 9) Geographical distribution of Limonium pigadiense (A); L. sartorianum (B); L. schinousae (C); L. sieberi (D); L. sirinicum (E); L. sitiacum (F); L. narbonense (G).