Alkanna noneiformis Griseb., 1844

Shuka, Lulezim & Tan, Kit, 2013, New records for Albania based on taxa from the Prespa National Park, Biodiversity Data Journal 1, pp. 1014-1014 : 1014

Alkanna noneiformis Griseb., 1844

Boraginaceae

Alkanna noneiformis Griseb., Spicilegium Florae Rumelicae et Bithynicae 2(4):90 (1844). Fig. 7

Alkanna noneiformis Lectotype designated by Strid in Mountain Flora of Greece 2:41(1991):― [GREECE] sparsim in herbosis m. Nidgé [Piperitsa] pr. Vodena, 2700 ’–3000’, (substr. marmor.), 28 June 1839, Grisebach 720 (GOET).

Materials

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Shuka; Location: country: Albania; verbatimLocality: Dry Mt, eastern slopes below Pllaja e Pusit; verbatimElevation: 1922 m; verbatimLatitude: 40°54'N; verbatimLongitude: 20°50'E; Event: eventDate: 30 May 2012; Record Level: basisOfRecord: observation Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordNumber: 5720; recordedBy: Shuka; Location: country: Albania; verbatimLocality: above Gorica e Madhe village, north of former military post; verbatimElevation: 1600 m; verbatimLatitude: 40°54'N; verbatimLongitude: 20°51'E; Event: eventDate: 30 May 2012; Record Level: institutionCode: TIR!

Ecology

Phenology

Flowering late May to mid-June, fruiting late June and July.

Habitat

Alpine and subalpine meadows overlying limestone on the rocky eastern and northeastern slopes of Dry Mt, usually between 1500 and 2000 m. At lower altitudes it occurs with Daphne oleoides , Genista radiata , Juniperus communis subsp. alpina and Juniperus oxycedrus . Although rare it does not seem to be under any threat as it occurs within the protected central zone of the National Park.

Distribution

The locus classicus is Mt Piperitsa which is c. 10 km south of the present Greek–F.Y.R. Macedonian border and thus still within Greek territory, and not in F.Y.R. Macedonia as attributed by Rechinger ( Rechinger 1965:209). This species occurs from S and N Pindos to NC Greece and in the southern part of F.Y.R. Macedonia.

Taxon discussion

It is closely related to Alkanna scardica ( Grisebach 1844:91) from N Albania, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro; the latter differs by its completely eglandular indumentum, longer calyx, subglabrous corolla and distinctly reticulate nutlets. ― Rare, new to Albania.