Limonium vanandense Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

26. Limonium vanandense Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 26 )

Type:— GREECE. Dodecanese: Karpathos, Vananda , littorale roccioso calcareo, 3 July 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-164248!, isotypes CAT!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, glauca, 10–35 cm alta, foliis 18–45 × 6–10 (–12) mm, anguste spathulatis, apice obtusis, submucronatis, verrucosis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, verrucosis, ramis sterilibus absentibus vel solo 1–3 per caulem, spicis 15–95 mm longis, spiculis 7.5–8.2 mm longis, 2–3-floris, remotissime ad 1–6 in 3 centimetris dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.8–3.2 × 2.6–2.9 mm, triangulari-ovata, apice acuta, bractea media membranacea, 2.6–3.2 × 2.1–2.3 mm, elliptica, bractea superiore 7.1–7.5 × 4.0– 4.5 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine anguste membranaceo, calyce 5.5–6.2 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 0.8–1.2 mm exserto, tubo sparse piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, late semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10–35 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 0.5–8 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper third. Leaves coriaceous, glaucous, flat to slightly v-shaped in cross-section, verrucate, 18–45 mm long and 6–10 (–12) mm broad, more or less narrowly spathulate, apex obtuse, mucronulate, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems glaucous, 8–32 cm long, slightly flexuous, verrucate with many crescent-shaped glands or rugose, branching begins above the lower quarter of the stems. Inflorescence trullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1–3 per stem, more or less straight, 1–5 cm long, unbranched. Fertile branches 1–10 cm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°–55°, undivided or loosely branched. Spikes 15–95 mm long, straight to slightly arched, erect to inserted obliquely upwards; axis of the spike verrucate with crescent-shaped glands. Spikelets 7.5–8.2 mm long, composed of 2–3 flowers, very remotely arranged with 1–6 per 3 cm. Outer bract 2.8–3.2 mm long and 2.6–2.9 mm broad, triangular-ovate, acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.6–3.2 mm long and 2.1–2.3 mm broad, elliptic, rounded, sometimes emarginate. Inner bract 7.1–7.5 mm long and 4.0– 4.5 mm broad, obovate-oblong, rounded; bract margin more or less narrowly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, 5.4–6.5 mm long and 2.7–3.2 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.6–1.0 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.5–6.2 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 0.8–1.2 mm; calyx tube more or less sparsely long hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes fine, ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, broadly semi-elliptic. Corolla pale violet, diameter 7 mm.

Chromosome number: —2n = 61 (Erben Li–1704, unpubl.).

Distribution: —Confined to northern Karpathos, where it is quite rare ( Fig. 97B ).

Habitat: —Calcareous and marly rocky coast, more rarely in sandy places.

Etymology: —The species is named after Vananda, a locality in the north of Karpathos where the species grows.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. vanandense has a similar habit to L. sitiacum and L. monolithicum , but it differs from both by having shorter spikelets, bracts and calyces.

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 73 74 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Dodecanese: Insula Karpathos: ad sinum Ajia Irini, alt. 5 m, in rupestribus litoreis, 29 May 1963, Greuter 5582 (Herb. Greuter); Stomata-Nordinsel (in der Mündung der Tristomonbucht) von Karpathos, 4 May 1981, Pleger 97 (B); Karpathos, Küste gegenüber der Stomata-Nordinsel, 4 May 1981, Pleger 127, 129 (B); Nordinsel in der Mündung der Tristomonbucht von Karpathos, 6 May 1981, Pleger 152b (B); Ammoi: Nordteil des nordöstlich von Karpathos liegenden Inselchens, 7 May 1981, Pleger 163a (B); Karpathos, Küste gegenüber von Ammoi, 7 May 1981, Pleger 184b (B); Ammoi: Mittelteil des nordöstlich von Karpathos liegenden Inselchens, 11 May 1981, Pleger 324a (B); Stomata-Nordinsel in der Mündung der Tristomonbucht von Karpathos, 12 May 1981, Pleger 357a, 358 (B); Karpathos, Küste gegenüber der Stomata-Südinsel, 12 May 1981, Pleger 385 (Herb. Greuter); Klippen bei Mesochori, vor der Westküste von Karpathos, 30 May 1983, Pleger 1077 (B); Karpathos, Bucht von Agia Irini nördlich Mesochori, Sandstrand und Küstenfelsen, 5 m, 30 May 1983, Raus 8509 (B); Kleininsel Ammui, vor der NE-Küste von Karpathos, 0–40 m, 12 May 1985, Höner 175 (B); Karpathos, Westküste, Schlucht von Agios Georgios zur Bucht von Làres, Felsen am Strand, 6 June 1998, Kalheber 98–1014 (Herb. Kalheber).

Figures

FIGURE 26. Limonium vanandense Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Karpathos, Vananda, littorale roccioso calcareo, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 97. (Map 12) Geographical distribution of Limonium ammophilon (A); L. vanandense (B).