Anthemis pasiphaes Goula & Constantinidis, 2023

Goula, Katerina & Constantinidis, Theophanis, 2023, Anthemis sect. Hiorthia (Asteraceae) on Kriti Island, Greece: high ploidy levels and a new species, PhytoKeys 229, pp. 113-129 : 113

Anthemis pasiphaes Goula & Constantinidis sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Member of Anthemis sect. Hiorthia related to A. samariensis , but differing in its woolly indumentum, presence of lobed leaves on flowering stems, longer aristae (1.5-2 mm) on receptacular scales, and presence of denticulate auricle on achenes of ligulate florets.

Type.

Greece. Kriti: Nomos Rethimnou, Eparchia Amariou. Mt. Kedros , ca. 2 km linear distance S of Gerakari village, vertical limestone rocks facing N, on the northern slopes of the mountain, 1265 m a.s.l., 35°11'N, 24°36'E, 29 April 2018, Goula, Kofinas, Papanikolaou & Papiomytoglou 2379 (holotype, ATHU). Figs 3 - 5 .

Description.

Perennial herb with stock covered in last year’s leaf sheaths. Indumentum woolly, ± appressed, hairs medifixed. Glands present in most parts of plant. Stems simple or branched; leafy non-flowering shoots present at anthesis. Flowering stems decumbent to erect, simple, 10-25 cm tall, angled, woolly, greyish-green, with successively smaller and less dissected leaves up to middle, and entire, scale-like leaves up to almost below capitulum. Leaves somewhat aromatic with golden stalked glands on leaf surface, greyish-green, up to 6 cm long, with both surfaces woolly; petiole up to 3 cm long and 0.5-1 mm wide; leaf blade 2-pinnatisect, ovate in outline, 2-3 cm × ca. 1.5 cm; primary segments usually 7, each one divided into 2-5 ultimate lobes; ultimate lobes narrowly oblanceolate to obovate, 0.7-1.5 mm wide, apex subacute with minute cartilaginous cusp, usually hidden below the dense trichomes. Capitulum solitary, radiate. Involucre hemispherical, 10-12 mm wide. Involucral bracts imbricate, greyish-green, lanceolate, 3.5-5 × 1.2-1.5 mm, outer surface villous with dark green or dark brown midvein; margin dark brown, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, membranous, densely and minutely lacerate, apex dark brown to black, acute to acuminate. Receptacle hemispherical becoming hemispherical-conical, apex obtuse. Receptacular scales narrowly oblanceolate, navicular, 4-6 × 0.7-1 mm, scarious, apex usually cuneate or emarginate, midvein straw coloured, prominent, leading to arista (1-)1.5-2 mm long. Ligulate florets 14-20; tube green, cylindrical, 2-2.5 mm × ca. 1 mm; ligules patent at anthesis, later reflexed, white, oblong to oblong-obovate, 10-15 × 3-5 mm, spotted with sessile glands. Disk florets yellow, spotted with sessile glands; tube cylindric, 3-3.5 mm long (including the lobes), 0.5-0.8 mm wide; lobes 5, triangular, 0.5-0.7 mm long; lower part of disk florets swollen and spongy at maturity. Achenes straw-coloured, narrowly obconic-oblong. Achenes of disk florets weakly 4-angled, slightly curved, 1.8-2.5 mm long, excluding pappus, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, more or less longitudinally ribbed; pappus oblique, forming short lacerate corona 0.2-0.4 mm wide and lacerate auricle adaxially; auricle scarious, 0.5-0.8 mm long, densely and finely longitudinally veined. Achenes of ligulate florets more curved and more prominently ribbed, 2.3-2.6 mm long excluding pappus, surface characters as in achenes of disk florets, but additionally sessile glands present; pappus as in achenes of disk florets, but auricle entire, 0.8-1 mm long, with lacerate apex. 2 n = 6 x = 54.

Distribution and habitat.

Anthemis pasiphaes is apparently endemic to Mt. Kedros, restricted to its northern part (Fig. 2 ). It grows on steep, calcareous cliffs, mostly inaccessible even to the numerous goats that graze the area. Currently known only from the type locality, at 1265 m a.s.l., but presumably also occurring higher up, on the same slope. It grows together with other endemics of Kriti, like Crepis auriculifolia Spreng., Dianthus juniperinus subsp. pulviniformis (Greuter) Turland, Erysimum raulinii Boiss., Lomelosia albocincta (Greuter) Greuter & Burdet, Sesleria doerfleri Hayek, and Staehelina petiolata (L.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt.

Etymology.

The specific epithet derives from the female name Pasiphaë and consists of the Greek words πάσι (= all) and φάος /φῶς (= light), i.e., "she who illuminates everyone". Pasiphaë was daughter of Helios (god of the Sun), wife of King Minos, Queen of Kriti and immortal, according to Greek mythology.

Phenology.

Flowering from late April to early June; fruiting from June to July.

Conservation status.

Anthemis pasiphaes is currently known from the type locality only. This single population is considerably small, with no more than 50 individuals counted, and restricted to practically inaccessible cliffs. The species has not been recorded elsewhere, although there are several similar habitats around in Kriti, which is botanically one of the best explored regions of Greece ( Strid and Tan 2017). Potentially suitable localities on Mt. Kedros have not revealed any additional populations so far. The presence of grazing animals in the area is very apparent, limiting the small population to very steep cliffs. Neither mature individuals nor leaf rosettes were observed in localities accessible to goats. A rock-climbing area on the southern slopes of Mt. Kedros is not a threat to A. pasiphaes at present; however, the northern part of the mountain is also suitable for rock-climbing activities that would potentially destroy the only known population. Αlthough we counted a very small number of mature plants, it is possible that more plants are present, very locally, on cliffs surrounding the locus classicus, given that they are not accessible to goats and retain enough moisture and some shade to permit uninterrupted growth of A. pasiphaes. If distribution and frequency of mature plants follow the same patterns we observed during field work, we may then estimate with some certainty that the total population of the species is fewer than 250 mature individuals. Therefore, the species meets the Criterion D (number of mature individuals <250) following the IUCN Guidelines for the assessment of taxa known only from the type locality ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2022). The IUCN Red List category of Endangered seems suitable (EN D).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution of Anthemis sect. Hiorthia on Kriti Island. Pink dot: A. samariensis, red dot: A. pasiphaes, yellow dots: A. abrotanifolia. Based on Strid (2016 b) and additional specimens in ATHU, MAIC and NHMC. Background map data: Google, SIO, NOAA, U. S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO.

Figure 3. Holotype of Anthemis pasiphaes Goula & Constantinidis (ATHU).

Figure 5. Anthemis pasiphaes at its locus classicus A plant growing on a vertical rock B capitulum. Photo taken on 29.04.2018 by K. Goula. Scale bars: 5 cm (A); 5 mm (B).