Verbascum delphicum Boiss. & Heldr. subsp. cervi Zografidis, 2016

Zografidis, Aris, 2016, Two new infraspecific taxa of Verbascum delphicum (Scrophulariaceae, Scrophularieae) from mainland Greece and the island of Evvia, PhytoKeys 74, pp. 107-122 : 109-110

Verbascum delphicum Boiss. & Heldr. subsp. cervi Zografidis subsp. nov. Figures 1 , 2 ; Suppl. material 1

Diagnosis.

subsp. cervi can be distinguished from subsp. dephicum by a combination of the following characters: lamina of larger rosette-leaves 6-22 × 3-11 cm (vs. 16-40 × 11-24), 1.5-3.7 of length to width ratio (vs. 1.2-1.9), obtuse-cuneate at the base (vs. obtuse-truncate to cordate); indumentum of abaxial surface of rosette-leaves thinner; indumentum of adaxial surface of first-year mature rosette-leaves ± harsh (vs. soft); stamen filaments greenish-white (vs. orange).

Type.

GREECE. Attica: Mt Parnitha , 38°09'N, 23°43'E, limestone slope with Abies cephalonica , 1100 m, 22 June 2015, A. Zografidis 109. (Holotype: ATH, Isotype: ATHU)

Description.

Monocarpic, eglandular- and minutely glandular-hairy biennial herb - or rarely short-lived perennial bicarpic - producing a well-branched taproot and a basal leaf-rosette in the first year of vegetative growth, followed by the production of additional rosette-leaves (in the same rosette) and an erect, terete, leafy flowering-stem in the second year of vegetative and reproductive growth. Eglandular hairs dendritic, 0.2-0.8 mm of length, more or less covering the whole aerial part of the plant; glandular hairs minute, sparse, present on leaves, bracts, bracteols and calyx segments, visible by microscopy; fully developed first-season rosettes yellowish- to brownish- and harshly-tomentose above, grayish- or yellowish- to brownish-, and ± harshly-tomentose beneath; rosette-leaves few to several (up to 50 in cultivated specimens), petiolate; petiole 1-10 cm of length; lamina ovate-elliptic to oblanceolate, 1.5-3.7 of length to width ratio, obtuse-cuneate at the base, crenate, obtuse at apex; larger leaf laminas 6-22 × 3-11 cm; second year mature rosette-leaves and lower cauline-leaves similar but ± glabrescent on adaxial surface; middle cauline-leaves progressively smaller, shortly petiolate, obtuse at the base, obtuse or subacute at the apex; upper cauline-leaves, small, sessile, obtuse at the base, subacute at the apex; all cauline leaves alternate; stem 40-160 cm of height, green to reddish-black, glabrescent but ± persistently tomentose below; Inflorescence 25-60 cm of height, simple or sparingly branched at the base with short, sub-erect branches and then inflorescence narrowly pyramidal in outline; flowers arranged in clusters of pedicellate, compacted cymes (glomerules), ± crowded at least above, consisting of 3 - 12 flowers; bracts 3-7 × 2-4 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, glabrescent; bracteoles present, similar to bracts but smaller; longer pedicels 3-8 mm of length, tomentose, ± glabrescent; calyx divided almost to the base into 5 lanceolate to lanceolate-linear, acute segments, 3.5-6 × 1.1-1.7 mm; abaxial surface of calyx tomentose, ± glabrescent; corolla rotate, flat, 1.6-3.6 cm of diameter, light yellow, often with purple marks on the throat, with pellucid glands, divided to c. 3/4 into 5 broadly-obovate, subequal lobes; abaxial surface of corolla partially tomentose, adaxial surface often ciliate near the throat, otherwise glabrous; tube of corolla ± infundibuliform, 1-2.7 mm of length, 1.5-2.9 mm of diameter; stamens 5, free, densely ciliate with white, clavate hairs which reach the connective of anthers; three posterior stamens 5-9.5 mm, two anterior stamens 7-12 mm; stamen filaments greenish-white, occasionally with a purple tinge; all five anthers reniform, mediofix, papillose on adaxial surface, 0.6-1.5 mm; style tomentose at the base, 6-10 mm, clavate at the apex; stigma hemispherical; capsule (excl. rostrum) 3.5-7.5 × 3-5.4 mm, ovoid to broadly ovoid, densely tomentose on early development, later glabrescent, with a rostrum 1-1.5 mm; seeds numerous, chestnut brown to dark brown, 0.7-1 × 0.5-0.7 mm, obpyramidal to ovoid-oblong, irregularly prismatic, faveolate with 3-7 pits in each longitudinal series.

Etymology.

Name derives from the genitive of the Latin word “cervus” in reference to the red deer of the National Park which were often observed in the subspecies habitat. The popular animals are a considerable threat to their own Verbascum as they consume the young inflorescences.

Figures

Figure 1. Verbascum delphicum subsp. cervi Zografidis: A habit B first year mature leaf-rosette, bar = 10 cm C partial inflorescence, bar = 1 cm D capsules, bar = 5 mm D seeds, bar = 2 mm.

Figure 2. Comparative illustration of Verbascum delphicum subsp. cervi and subsp. delphicum differential traits: A, C, E subsp. cervi B, D, F subsp. delphicum A, B first-year mature rosette-leaves of cultivated plants, bar = 10 cm C, D cross section of leaves indicating the shorter and darker indumentum of subsp. cervi, bars = 3 mm E, F anterior stamens, bars = 1 mm;