Limonium archeothirae Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

77. Limonium archeothirae Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 77 )

Type :— GREECE. Cyclades : Santorini : Archaia Thira, Perissa (falesie calcaree mesozoiche), 11 June 2000, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-164020!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!)

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, viridis, 10–30 cm alta, foliis 15–30 × 5–8 mm, anguste spathulatis, verrucosis, caulibus pluribus, leviter verrucosis ad rugosis, ramis sterilibus paucis, 1–3 per caulem, spicis 5–40 mm longis, spiculis 7–8 mm longis, 2–10-floris, ad 3–4 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 1.7–2.2 × 2.0– 2.2 mm, triangulari-ovata, bractea media 2.0–2.4 x 1.7–2.2 mm, bractea superiore 5.2–5.5 3.2–3.8 mm, elliptica ad obovata, apice rotundata, margine anguste membranaceo, calyce 5.0– 5.5 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.5–2.0 mm exserto, tubo dense piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, semi-ellipticis.

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 165 166 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10–30 cm tall, with many erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 1.5–12.0 cm long, densely branched, in the upper third or two thirds spirally leafy. Leaves fleshy, green, flat, rigid, slightly verrucate, 15–30 mm long and 5–8 mm broad, narrowly spathulate, apex obtuse to rounded, margin revolute, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 7–30 cm long, green,

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 167 slightly verrucate to rugose, flexuous, branching frequently begins near the base. Inflorescence narrowly obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches few, 1–3 per stem, 0.5–4.0 cm long, normally unbranched. Fertile branches 2–5 cm long, slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 30°–50°, unbranched. Spikes 5–40 mm long, arched, erect to directed obliquely upwards. Spikelets sometimes flabellate, 7–8 mm long, composed of 2–10 flowers, often pressed at the axis of spikes, remotely arranged with 3–4 per cm. Outer bract 1.7–2.2 mm long and 2.0– 2.2 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse to acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.0– 2.4 mm long and 1.7–2.2 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 5.2–5.5 mm long and 3.2–3.8 mm broad, elliptical to obovate, rounded; bract margin narrowly membranous; central part fleshy, 4.0– 4.6 mm long and 2.1–2.8 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.5–1.0 mm long, reaching nearly the upper margin. Calyx 5.0– 5.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.5 –2.0 mm; calyx tube densely shortly hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, semi-elliptic. Corolla pale violet.

Chromosome number: —2n = 43 (Erben Li–1699, unpubl.).

Distribution: — L. archeothirae is restricted to a small calcareous area on the island of Thira (Santorini) ( Fig. 87E ).

Habitat: —Near the sea, on mesozoic limestone outcrops.

Etymology: —It is named after Archeothira, a locality in the southern part of Thira.

Taxonomic remarks: —The densely rosulate leaves, just a few sterile branches, and the remotely arranged spikelets are all features that indicate L. archeothirae is closely related to L. ocymifolium , but it differs from the latter by having smaller, 1-nerved leaves and smaller inner bracts.

Specimens examined: — GREECE. Cyclades: Thira, Kamari, Schlucht des Mesavuno, 20 May 1973, Riedl s.n. (M); Thira (Santorin), Berg Gavrillos im Südteil der Insel, offene Kleinstrauchgarigue über spaltenreichem, verkastetem Kalkgestein, 100–150 m, 3 October 1986, Raus 12063 (B); Thira (Santorini): Kapelle und Quellgrotte am Südwestfuss des Mesavouno nördlich Perissa, Felsbänder und Spalten im kompakten Kalkgestein, 150 m, 9 April 1987, Raus 12607 (B); Ostfuss des Mesavouno südlich Kamari, küstennahe Kalkfelsen, 20–40 m, 29 September 1988, Raus 13416 (B); Santorini, rupi calcaree di Messavouno (Perissa), 23 August 1994, Brullo & Scelsi s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Santorini, Ormos Akrotiri, 11 June 2000, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (CAT, Herb Erben = Li–1699).

Figures

FIGURE 77. Limonium archeothirae Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaf. (Drawn from “Santorini, Archaia Thira, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 87. (Map 2) Geographical distribution of Limonium corinthiacum (A); L. atticum (B); L. athinense (C); L. frederici (D); L. archaeothirae (E); L. saracinatum (F); L. pylium (G); L. xiliense (H); L. recticaule (I); L. graecum (J); L. pusillum (K).