Limonium issaeum 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

8. Limonium issaeum Bogdanović & Brullo , sp. nov.

Type: — CROATIA. Central Dalmatia: Isola di Vis, Komiža, Dalmazia centrale, a ovest della spiaggia principale, 200 m presso Bile stine, 30 August 2006, Bogdanović s.n. (holotype CAT!; isotypes CAT!, ZAGR!) ( Fig 9 , 38 ) .

Diagnosis: — Planta pubescens , dense foliosa apice caudicularum, foliis rugosis, spathulatis, retusis, revolutis margine, 1-nerviis, scapis plurimis, prostratis vel adscendentibus, rugosis, ramis sterilibus numerosis, inflorescentia reticulata, ramosa, spicis rectis ad curvatis, bractea inferiore hemicircularis, sparsim pilosa, bractea superiore oblongo-ovata, obtusa, calice tubo piloso, lobis hemiellipticis, rotundatis.

Description: —Plant perennial, 15–20 cm tall, hairy (hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long), with robust tap-root. Caudices branched, 2–5 cm long, densely covered by leaves in the upper part. Leaves rigid, rugose, sparsely pubescent, green, 8–35 mm long, 2–6 mm wide, spathulate, revolute at the margin, 1-nerved, tapering into a long petiole, retuse at the apex. Stems numerous, prostrate to ascending, rugose, hairy, with numerous sterile branches, flexuous, fragile at nodes, very branched, diverging at the angle of 60–180°, internodes 4–15 mm long, right to curved. Inflorescence reticulate, branched; spikes 7–40 mm long, straight to curved. Spikelets 5.5–6 mm long, 3–5- flowered, 3–5 per cm; outer bract 1.2–1.3 mm long, 1.4–1.6 mm wide, semicircular, rounded, with margin narrowly membranous, glabrous, and central part fleshy, sparsely hairy, acuminate; middle bract 1.5–1.7 mm long, 1.1–1.2 mm wide, triangular-ovate, obtuse, membranous, hairy on the veins and in the upper part; inner bract 3.2–3.5 mm long, 2.1–2.3 mm wide, oblong-ovate, obtuse, with margin membranous, glabrous, 0.1–0.2 mm wide, with central part fleshy, sparsely hairy, 1.7–1.9 mm wide, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.5–0.8 mm long, no reaching the upper margin. Calyx 4–4.2 mm long, exserted 2–2.5 mm from the inner bract, tube hairy, ribs hairy, slightly exceeding the basal part of the lobe; calyx lobes, hemielliptical, rounded, 0.7–0.8 × 0.7–0.8 mm. Corolla lilac.

Etymology: —From “Issa” the old name of Vis island.

Distribution and ecology: —This species occurs on the island of Vis in Central Dalmatia ( Fig. 29F ), where it is localized in the south–western coast. It grows on places characterized by volcanic rocks, conglomerates, limestones mixed with clay soils. Usually, it is a member of halophilous communities.

TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE LIMONIUM CANCELLATUM GROUP

Phytotaxa 215 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 17

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — CROATIA. Central Dalmatia: Scoglien an d. Nord westspitze v. Lissa : Veli Barjak. 30 July 1914, Ginzberger s.n. ( WU!) ; Scoglio Kamik an der Nordküste von Lissa (beim Porto Chiave ), 29 July 1914, Ginzberger s.n. ( WU!) ; Isola di Vis, Komiža, punta Knežerat , 27 May 2011, BogdanoviĆ, Brullo & Giusso s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!) ; Isola di Vis, punta Knežica , 27 May 2011, BogdanoviĆ, Brullo & Giusso s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!) .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Limonium issaeum. 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 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 38. Habit of Limonium issaeum from holotype. Bogdanović s.n. (CAT).