Limonium velutinum Bogdanović & Brullo, 2015

Bogdanović, Sandro & Brullo, Salvatore, 2015, Taxonomic revision of the Limonium cancellatum group (Plumbaginaceae) in Croatia, Phytotaxa 215 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

24. Limonium velutinum Bogdanović & Brullo , sp. nov.

Type: — CROATIA. Central Dalmatia: Dalmazia, Baško polje, roccie vicino al mare, 6 June 2007, Bogdanović & Alegro s.n. (holotype CAT!; isotypes CAT!, ZAGR!) ( Figs. 25 , 54 ) .

Diagnosis: — Planta velutina , dense foliosa secus partem superiorem caudicularum, foliis rugosis, pubescentis, lineari-spathulatis, laeviter retusis, revolutis margine, 1-nervis, scapis numerosis, prostratis ad adscendentibus, rugosis, ramis sterilibus numerosis, inflorescentia laxa, reticulata, ramosa, spicis rectis, bractea inferiore ovata, obtusa, bractea superiore oblongo-ovata, acuta, calice tubo piloso, lobis hemiellipticis, rotundatis.

Description: —Plant perennial, 10–40 cm tall, velvety (hairs 0.05–0.1 mm long), with robust tap-root. Caudices branched, 1–6 cm long, densely covered by leaves in the upper part. Leaves rugose, pubescent, green, 10–40 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, linear-spathulate, revolute at the margin, 1-nerved, gradually tapering into a long petiole, slightly retuse at the apex. Stems numerous, prostrate to ascending, rugose, with numerous sterile branches, flexuous, fragile at nodes, very branched, diverging at the angle of 70–150°, internodes 4–15 mm long, right to curved. Inflorescence lax, reticulate, branched; spikes 10–50 mm long, straight to curved. Spikelets 4.8–5 mm long, 1–2-flowered, 4–5 per cm; outer bract 1.8–2.3 mm long, 1.5–2.1 mm wide, ovate, obtuse, with margin narrowly membranous, hairy, and central part fleshy, acuminate, densely hairy; middle bract 1.9–2.5 mm long, 1.2–1.5 mm wide, ovate, obtuse at the apex, membranous, hairy on the veins; inner bract 4 – 4.4 mm long, 2.4–2.7

TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE LIMONIUM CANCELLATUM GROUP

Phytotaxa 215 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 27 mm wide, oblong-ovate, acute, with margin membranous, glabrous, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, and central part fleshy, densely hairy, 1.8–2 mm wide, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.7–1 mm long, no reaching the upper margin. Calyx 4.5–5 mm long, exserted 1.5–2 mm from the inner bract, tube and ribs hairy, ribs reaching the middle part of the lobes; calyx lobes hemielliptical, rounded, 0.8–1 × 0.7–0.8 mm. Corolla lilac.

Etymology: —The epithet is referred to latin “velutinus” namely velvety.

Distribution and ecology: —This species was collected near Baško polje, village of central Dalmatia ( Fig. 29C ). It grows along the calcareous rocky coast rapresented by a very narrow belt, within halophilous communities.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Limonium velutinum. A. Inflorescence branches. B. Spikelets. C. Outer bracts. D. Middle bracts. E. Inner bract (lateral view). F. Inner bracts (dorsal view). G. Calyces. H. Calyx lobes. I. Leaves. J. Leaf indumentum (adaxial face). K. Leaf indumentum (abaxial face) (Illustration by Salvatore Brullo based on Bogdanović & Alegro s.n.. type CAT).

FIGURE 29. Geographical distribution of Limonium milovicii (A). L. omissae (B). L. velutinum (C). L. pharosianum (D). L. subanfractum (E). L. issaeum (F). L. busianum (G). L. brusnicense (H). L. zankii (I). L. vestitum (J). L. pomoense (K). L. cazzae (L). L. lagostanum (M) and L. pelagosae (N).

FIGURE 54. Habit of Limonium velutinum from holotype. Bogdanović & Alegro s.n. (CAT).