Limonium minoicum Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

45. Limonium minoicum Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 45 )

Type:— GREECE. Crete: Creta, Tertsa (Ierapetra), rupi calcarenitiche, 27 June 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-164247!, isotypes CAT!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis ad glauca, 15–35 cm alta, foliis 20–70 × 9–18 mm, spathulatis ad oblanceolatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus paucis, rugosis, ramis sterilibus absentibus vel nonnullibus, spicis 25–60 mm longis, spiculis 5.8–6.3 mm longis, 2–4-floris, ad 2–5 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 1.7–2.5 × 1.8–2.3 mm, triangulari-ovata, bractea media 1.8–2.3 × 1.5–2.0 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 4.4–5.2 × 3.2–3.8 mm, obovato-elliptica, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 4.0– 5.1 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0– 1.5 mm exserto, tubo sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, late semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15–35 cm tall, with few erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 10–30 mm long, branched; living leaves in rosettes at apices of caudices. Leaves coriaceous, grey-green, glaucous, 20–70 mm long and 9–18 mm broad, spathulate to oblanceolate, apex obtuse to round, flat, smooth, normally with 1 central nerve and 2 lateral nerves, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems glaucous, 15–45 cm long, slightly flexuous, rugose, branching begins above the lower quarter of the stems. Inflorescence obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1–2 per stem, 1–7 cm long, more or less straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 2–12 cm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 40°–55°, loosely branched in the upper third. Spikes 25–60 mm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards. Spikelets more or less thick, 5.8–6.3 mm long, composed of 2–4 flowers, more or less remotely arranged with 2–5 per cm, often pressed to the axis of spike. Outer bract 1.7–2.5 mm long and 1.8–2.3 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 1.8–2.3 mm long and 1.5–2.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded, emarginate. Inner bract 4.4–5.2 mm long and 3.2–3.8 mm broad, obovate-elliptic, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 3.5–4.0 mm long and 1.8–2.8 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.5–0.7 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 4.0– 5.1 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0– 1.5 mm; calyx tube sparsely long hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes fragile, ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, broadly semi-elliptic. Corolla light violet (17A4); diameter 7–8 mm.

Chromosome number: —2n = 43 (Erben Li–1708, unpubl.).

Distribution: —Restricted to southeast Crete, between Tsoutsouros and Tertsa ( Fig. 88N ).

Habitat: —Rocky coast on calcareous, marly and conglomerate substrates, sometimes in pebbly localities.

Etymology: —The epithet “ minoicum ” refers to the ancient Minoan civilization from Crete.

Taxonomic remarks: —For the habit L. minoicum shows close relation with L. creticum , but from which it differs by having 3-nerved leaves, and shorter spikelets, bracts and calyces, from L. chrisianum by having 3-nerved leaves and shorter spikelets, from L. hierapetrae by having shorter spikelets, inner bracts and calyces, from L. cornarianum by having broader, flat leaves.

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Crete: Creta, Ep. Viannos, Mündung des Anapodharis, Flussbett mit Sand- und Kieselflächen , ca. 1 m, 13 September 1984, Risse 1517 (B); Creta, Tertsa, calcari, 22 August 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Creta, presso la foce del fiume Anapodaris, depressione limosoargillosa, 22 August 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n. (CAT); Creta, Akro Theophilou, calcareniti conglomeratiche, 27 June 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben) .

Figures

FIGURE 45. Limonium minoicum Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Creta, Tertsa, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 88. (Map 3) Geographical distribution of Limonium amopicum (A); L. doerfleri (B); L. ikaricum (C); L. elaphonisicum (D); L. creticum (E); L. damboldtianum (F); L. astypaleanum (G); L. glomeratum (H); L. grabusae (I); L. isidorum (J); L. cythereum (K); L. kirikosicum (L); L. dolihiense (M); L. minoicum (N).