Limonium ocymifolium (Poiret) Kuntze (1891: 396)

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

71. Limonium ocymifolium (Poiret) Kuntze (1891: 396) ( Fig. 71 )

Basionym:― Statice ocymifolia Poiret in Lamark (1817: 238). Type (lectotype, designated here):— GREECE. Limonium Graecum , minae, ocymifolio Coroll. I.R.H. 25, de L´Archipel, 1700, Tournefort (P-Devaillant!, isolectotypes FI-WEBB!, G!).

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15–35 cm tall, with some ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 5–60 mm long, branched and densely spirally leafy in the upper half, living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves herbaceous, glaucous, smooth, flat, 25–50 mm long and 9–20 mm broad, spathulate, apex rounded or slightly emarginate, shortly mucronate, 1 central nerve with 2 lateral nerves at least on large leaves, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems grey-green, 10–30 cm long, rugose, slightly flexuous, branching frequently begins above the lower quarter. Inflorescence broadly obtriangular or broadly trullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1–2 per stem, 1–5 cm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 1–8 cm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 20°–45°, longer branches branched in the upper half. Spikes 10–46 mm long, straight to slightly arched, inserted obliquely. Spikelets 6.5–7.5 mm long, composed of 2–4 flowers, remotely arranged with 2–4 per cm. Outer bract 2.1–2.8 mm long and 2.5–3.0 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at

154 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 155 156 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.1–3.0 mm long and 1.8–2.5 mm broad, elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 5.1–5.9 mm long and 4.0–5.0 mm broad, broadly obovate, rounded, bract margin more or less broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 4.0– 4.9 mm long and 2.1–3.2 mm broad, oblong or oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.5–0.9 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.2–6.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0– 1.5 mm; calyx tube long hairy, with 5 ribs ending at the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.5 × 0.9 mm, semi-elliptic. Corolla pale violet to pinkish.

Chromosome number:― 2n = 43 ( Artelari & Georgiou 2003; Erben Li–1523, unpubl.).

Distribution: —Cycladic Islands of Folegandros, Milos, Sifnos and Sikinos ( Fig. 90F ).

Habitat: —Calcareous and marly rocky coast.

Taxonomic remarks: —This species was described by Poiret (cfr. Lamark 1817), sub Statice ocymifolia on a specimen collected by Tournefort in the 1700 in the “Archipel” whose type is stored in the Devaillant’s herbarium at Paris (P). According to the type material, L. ocymifolium is closely related to L. aucheri , but is distinguised by having broader leaves, and longer spikelets, bracts and calyces.

Specimens examined: — GREECE. Cyclades: Pholegandros prope Epanomeri, 21 September 1905, Bretzel s.n. (WU); Cardiotissa (islet of Pholégandros), sea cliffs, 6 June 1938, Davis 227 (K); Pholegandros, 30 September 1939, Davis 922 (K); Milo, May 1826, s.l. (P); Archipel Melos, Beauves s.n. (P); In insula Melo prope Clima, 12–24 August 1856, Orphanides 694 (FI, G-BOISS, M, W, WU); Milos island, Cape Boumbardha, on maritime rocks, 1 September 1983, R. Artelari 436 (B); Milos, Fylakopi Papafranca, 2 July 1994, Brullo & Minissale s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Milos tra Kilas e Firopotamos, 2 July 1994, Brullo & Minissale s.n. (CAT); Milos, Küste zwischen Filakopi und Sarakiniko, 0–20 m, 12 April 2003, Kalheber 03-225 (M); In ins. Siphno, in saxosis maritimis prope Chrysopigi, 26 July 1881, De Heldreich s.n. (C, W, WU); Isle of Sifnos, 12 April 1967, Hansen s.n. (C); Siphnos, am Kloster Chrysopigi bei Apokofto, Felsplatten der Insel, 9 September 1997, Kalheber 97–1762, 97–1763 (Herb. Kalheber = Li–1523); Siphnos, Felseninselchen des Klosters Chrysopygia westl. Apokofto, 5 April 1998, Kalheber 98–195 (Herb. Kalheber); Sikinos sea rocks, 26 September 1939, Davis 903 (K).

Figures

FIGURE 71. Limonium ocymifolium (Poiret) Kuntze. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Milos, Fylakopi Papafranca, Brullo & Minissale s.n., Herb. Erben, CAT”).

FIGURE 90. (Map 5) Geographical distribution of Limonium aucheri (A); L. fragile (B); L. kardamylii (C); L. meandrinum (D); L. messeniacum (E); L. ocymifolium (F); L. thirae (G).