Limonium microcycladicum Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

19. Limonium microcycladicum Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 19 )

Type:— GREECE. Cyclades: Schinoussa, Mersini Ainickolas , 31 August 1998, Bartolo & Brullo s.n. (holotype MSB-164246!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, glauca, 10–25 cm alta, foliis 10–40 × 4–8 mm, spathulatis ad oblanceolatis, verrucosis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, rugosis vel verrucosis, ramis sterilibus pluribus, spicis 5–40 mm longis, spiculis 7–9 mm longis, 1–5-floris, ad 3–5 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.3–3.0 × 2.2–2.8 mm, triangulari-ovata, bractea media 2.7–3.1 × 2.1–2.8 mm, late oblongo-obovata, bractea superiore 6.4–7.4 × 4.2–4.8 mm, obovata, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 5.8–6.6 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.2–2.0 mm exserto, tubo piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, late semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10–25 cm tall, with several erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 20–40 mm long, densely branched, spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy, glaucous, verrucate, 10–40 mm long and 4–8 mm broad, spathulate to oblanceolate, apex obtuse to round, mucronate, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 5–20 cm long, glaucous, slightly articulate, flexuous, rugose to verrucate with crescent-shaped glands, branching frequently begins near the base. Inflorescence narrowly obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches few, 0.5–3.0 cm long, slightly articulate, mostly unbranched. Fertile branches 0.5–4.0 cm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 30°–50°, normally unbranched. Spikes 5–40 mm long, more or less thick, straight, erect to inserted obliquely. Spikelets 7.0–9.0 mm long, composed of 1–5 flowers, remotely to densely arranged with 3–5 per cm, more or less pressed to the axis of spike, laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.3–3.0 mm long and 2.2–2.8 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse to slightly acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.7–3.1 mm long and 2.1–2.8 mm broad, broadly oblong-obovate, rounded. Inner bract 6.4–7.4 mm long and 4.2–4.8 mm broad, obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part more or less fleshy, rugose, 5.0– 6.2 mm long and 2.6–3.8 mm broad, oblong to oblong-obovate, forming a narrowly

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 59 triangular tip, 0.7–1.0 mm long, reaching nearly the upper margin. Calyx 5.8–6.6 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.2– 2.0 mm; calyx tube sparsely to densely shortly hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes very fragile, ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, broadly semi-elliptic. Corolla lilac.

Distribution: —Restricted to Iraklia and Schinousa in the Cycladic Islands ( Fig. 91E ).

Habitat: —Calcareous rocky coast.

Etymology: —The species is named after the Microcyclades, a small archipelago near the island of Naxos.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. microcycladicum has a small stature with slender stems that are fragile at the nodes, verrucate glands, and just a few sterile branches, which places it in the L. fragile group. However, it is

60 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN distinguished from the other species in this group by having glaucous, broadly spathulate leaves and longer calyces with except for L. dolihiense , while L. microcycladicum differs from it form the last named species by having more densely arranged spikelets.

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Cyclades: Iraklia, Livadi , 1 September 1998, Bartolo & Brullo s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Schinoussa, Aliarya, 31 August 1998, Bartolo & Brullo (CAT, Herb. Erben) .

Figures

FIGURE 19. Limonium microcycladicum Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Schinoussa, Brullo & Bartolo s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 91. (Map 6) Geographical distribution of Limonium brevipetiolatum (A); L. bellidifolium (B); L. compactum (C); L. hirsuticalyx (D); L. microcycladicum (E); L. oligotrichum (F); L. pagasaeum (G).