Limonium liberianum 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

12. Limonium liberianum Bogdanović & Brullo , sp. nov.

Type: — CROATIA. Northern Dalmatia: Isola di Pašman, Ždrelac, Dalmazia , 28 August 2006, Liber s.n. (holotype CAT!; isotypes CAT!, ZAGR!) ( Figs. 13 , 42 ) .

Diagnosis: — Planta dense pubescens , dense foliosa secus partem superiorem caudicularum, foliis rugosis, spathulatis, rotundatis, revolutis margine, 1-nerviis, scapis numerosis, erectis ad adscendentibus, rugosis, ramis sterilibus numerosis, inflorescentia reticulata, ramosa, spicis rectis ad curvatis, bractea inferiore ovato-triangulare, acuta, bractea superiore oblongo-ovata, obtusa ad subacuta, calice tubo dense piloso, lobis subellipticis ad ovatis, acutis.

Description: —Plant perennial, 15–35 cm tall, densely pubescent (hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long), with robust tap-root. Caudices branched, 1–5 cm long, and covered by leaves in the upper part. Leaves rigid, rugose, densely hairy, green, 6–35 mm long, 2–5 mm wide, spathulate, rounded at the apex, revolute at the margin, 1-nerved, gradually tapering into a long petiole. Stems numerous, erect to ascending, rugose, with numerous sterile branches, flexuous, fragile at nodes, very branched, diverging at the angle of 70–180°, internodes 5–20 mm long, right to curved. Inflorescence reticulate, branched from the base; spikes 10–60 mm long, straight to curved. Spikelets 5.5–6.5 mm long, 2–4 flowered, 3–5 per cm; outer bract 1.8–2 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, triangular-ovate, acute, sparsely hairy, margin narrowly membranous, and central part fleshy, long apiculate; middle bract 1.8–2.5 mm long, 1.2–1.5 mm wide, oblong, bifid at the apex, membranous, hairy in the central part and veins; inner bract 3.5–4.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, oblong-ovate, obtuse to subacute, with margin membranous, glabrous, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, and central part fleshy, densely hairy, sometimes glabrous at the base, 1.5–2 mm wide, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.4–0.5 mm long, almost reaching the upper margin. Calyx 4–4.5 mm long, exserted 1–1.5 mm from the inner bract, tube densely hairy, with 5 totally hairy ribs, reaching the middle part of the lobes; calyx lobes 0.7–0.8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, subelliptical to ovate, acute. Corolla lilac.

Etymology: —This species is dedicated to Z. Liber, Croatian botanist from University of Zagreb, who collected this plant.

Distribution and ecology: —This species is frequent in some islands of northern Dalmatia (Pašman, Zlarin, and Dugiio otok), where it grows along calcareous rocky coast and cliffs ( Fig. 28F ). It grows in the belt between the shoreline and the pinewoods or maquis, in halophilous communities.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — CROATIA. Northern Dalmatia: Isola di Pašman, vicino al paese Pašman, 27 August 2006, Liber s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!); Isola di Zlarin , presso la punta Klepac, Dalmazia, 27 August 2006, Liber s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!); Dalmazia, Dugi otok, Park Prirode Telašića, Jezero Mir, uz obalu jezera, 01 October 2007, BogdanoviĆ & Jelaska s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!), Dalmazia, Dugi otok, Park Prirode Telašćica, Uvala Lojišče, uz obalu mora, 01 October 2007, BogdanoviĆ & Jelaska s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!) .

Figures

FIGURE 13. Limonium liberianum. A. Inflorescence branches. B. Spikelets. C. Outer bracts. D. Middle bracts. E. 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 Liber s.n.. type CAT).

FIGURE 28. Geographical distribution of Limonium cancellatum (A). L. istriacum (B). L. lovricii (C). L. liburnicum (D). L. croaticum (E) and L. liberianum (F).

FIGURE 42. Habit of Limonium liberianum from holotype. Liber s.n. (CAT).