Senecio olympicus Boissier (1844: 13)

Calvo, Joel, Álvarez, Inés & Aedo, Carlos, 2015, Systematics of Senecio section Crociseris (Compositae, Senecioneae), Phytotaxa 211 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

14. Senecio olympicus Boissier (1844: 13) . TYPE: Turkey, Bursa, Olympus Bithynus [Uludağ, 40º05'N 29º12'E], Aug 1842, E. Boissier s.n. (lectotype, designated here, G-150306 image!; isolectotypes, G-162737!, G-DC!, GOET-2388 image!, JE-5728 image!, L-794086!, LE!, P-3729612 image!, P-3729607 image!, P-3729608 image!, P-3729609 image!, P-3729610 image!, P-3729611 image!, UPS!, W-Rchb-285614 image!).

Senecio pisidicus Boissier & Heldreich in Boissier (1856: 35). TYPE: Turkey, Isparta, Eğirdir, Mt. Stavros [Davraz Dağı, 37º47'N 30º45'E], 10 Aug 1845, T. Heldreich 1258 (lectotype, designated here, G-150445!).

Perennial herb. Rhizome ca. 4 cm long, ca. 1 cm in diam., ± horizontal, with swelled fastigiate roots. Stem 22–65 cm, erect, leaved, corrugated, solid, not ramificated, weakly arachnoid to glabrescent, base without remnants of old leaves or tufts of hairs. Basal leaves 7.5–10.5 cm long, 2.1–5.6 cm wide, persistent, sometimes withering early, lanceolate to broadly elliptic (ratio basal leaf width / basal leaf length = 0.28–0.53), obtuse, attenuate to cuneate, with a petiole 2.8–12.5 cm long, entire to slightly dentate (teeth 1–1.3 mm deep), sparsely arachnoid to glabrescent (trichomes ca. 0.3 mm long), concolorous. Cauline leaves 6–18; middle cauline leaves 8.7–15.1 cm long, 2.2–6.4

SYSTEMATICS OF SENECIO SECTION CROCISERIS

Phytotaxa 211 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 55 cm wide, alternate, lanceolate to oblanceolate (ratio middle leaf width / middle leaf length = 0.18–0.66), obtuse to acute, sessile, sometimes attenuated into a petiole up to 8.5 cm long, entire to slightly dentate, sometimes crenate (teeth 0.2–1.5 mm deep), sparsely arachnoid to glabrescent (trichomes 0.2–0.8 mm long), tertiary venation inconspicuous; upper cauline leaves 1.2–11.5 cm long, 0.2–2.3 cm wide, lanceolate (ratio upper leaf width / upper leaf length = 0.12–0.41), acute, sessile, entire to slightly dentate (teeth ca. 1 mm deep), sparsely arachnoid to glabrescent. Synflorescence 5–34.5 cm long, corymbose, with broadly lanceolate to ovate bracts, sometimes with fimbriate scarious margin. Capitula 1–3(–5), 27.8–44.3 mm in diam.; involucre 13.6–22.8 mm in diam., 10–14 mm long, cupuliform; involucral bracts (18–)22–26(–33), 8.5–11.9 mm long, 1.4–2.7 mm wide, with scarious margin 0.33–0.74 mm wide, ensiform, acute, 0–3-keeled, apex usually with a black spot, glabrescent, sometimes weakly arachnoid; supplementary bracts (10–)15–20(–22), 6–10.8 mm long, 1.3–4 mm wide, lanceolate to ovate, usually with fimbriate scarious margin up to 0.55 mm, a half to as long as involucral bracts, weakly arachnoid, ± imbricated. Ligulate florets 13–15, 14.5–23.9 mm long, yellow; tubular florets 6.8–10.9 mm long, 0.9–1.7 mm in diam., yellow. Achenes ca. 7 mm long, ca. 1.3 mm wide, subcylindrical (ratio achene width / achene length = ca. 0.18), shorter than pappus (ratio achene length / pappus length = ca. 0.80), with ca. 12 ribs, with trichomes 0.1–0.3 mm long covering ± the whole surface, rarely almost glabrous; pappus 7.4–11.6 mm long, whitish. Chromosome number: unknown. Figure 21 .

Iconography: — Güleryüz & Kirmizi (1999: 94, fig. 2, as photo).

Distribution and habitat: — Turkey (endemic of western Anatolia); subalpine meadows, rocky slopes, accompanied at Uludağ on granitic soil by Juniperus communis Linnaeus (1753: 1040) , Vaccinium myrtillus Linnaeus (1753: 349) , Astragalus angustigolius Lamarck (1783: 321) , Festuca cyllenica Boissier & Heldreich in Boissier (1854: 58), etc. ( Rehder et al. 1994); elevations of 1600–2550 m ( Figure 20 ).

Phenology: — Flowering from June to August.

Etymology: — The epithet olympicus refers to the ancient Olympus Bithynicus (“Mysian” Olympus), mountain in Bursa Province, Turkey. Nowadays it is called Uludağ.

Discussion: — Senecio olympicus differs from the other Crociseris species by its broad supplementary bracts, with scarious margin (often fimbriate), and ± imbricated, which confers an aspect of multiseriate supplementary bracts. It is a variable species regarding the capitula number, reduced to a solitary capitulum or up to 5. The achenes are usually hairy, except for two specimens from Bolu Province that display almost glabrous achenes, although they are not completely developed. In order to know this character state, mature achenes from this region need to be collected. A similar species is S. macedonicus (see comments under it). Also, S. olympicus has been confused with S. castagneanus , specifically those specimens from Aladağ (Bolu). The number and shape of supplementary bracts are the main character to distinguish each other. Senecio olympicus bears (10–)15–20(–22) supplementary bracts, lanceolate to ovate, and with a scarious margin up to 0.55 mm, fimbriate, while those of S. castagneanus are less numerous [(10–)12–15(–18)], subulate, sometimes with scarious margin that is not broader than 0.15 mm, and not fimbriate. Moreover, S. olympicus usually has a lower number of capitula [1–3(–5) vs. (1–)4–10(–18)], and larger involucres (14–23 × 10–14 vs. 9–16 × 8–12 mm). Their ranges are only overlapping at Uludağ (Bursa).

Senecio olympicus has a scattered distribution with scarce records through the western Anatolia, being known only from Bursa, Bolu, Antalya, and Isparta provinces. It was hitherto considered endemic of Uludağ ( Matthews 1975, Güleryüz & Kirmizi 1999).

In the protologue of S. pisidicus, Boissier (1856) commented that it corresponds to a species that is almost intermediate between S. olympicus and S. tmoleus (synonym of S. castagneanus ). Subsequently, Boissier (1875) listed S. pisidicus as a synonym of S. castagneanus , the view also held by Matthews (1975). After studying the type material kept at G, we realised that it actually corresponds to S. olympicus . In this collection, the low number of capitula (1–2), well developed upper cauline leaves, synflorescence bracts similar to the upper cauline leaves, and the ovate-lanceolate supplementary bracts with a conspicuous scarious margin (right-hand plant) fit perfectly with the characters of S. olympicus . It has to be noted that the left-hand plant and the central one on that specimen do not show the supplementary bracts typical of the species, which may lead to confusing interpretations.

The collection labelled on yellow paper and dated July 1842 is considered original material (isolectotypes), although the month cited in the protologue and the field label (lectotype) is August. In fact, specimens seem to be from the same collection (as indicated by the same phenology, size, habit, etc.). It might be Boissier’s mistake when he produced the labels to distribute this material.

56 • Phytotaxa 211 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

CALVO ET AL.

SYSTEMATICS OF SENECIO SECTION CROCISERIS

Phytotaxa 211 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 57 Selected specimens examined. TURKEY. Antalya: Geyik Dağlari, Kar in der Nordflanke des Geyik Dağ , Nexponiert, 36º52’N, 32º7’E, 20 July 1992, P . Hein 49 ( B); Bolu: Ala dag on Kartal Kaya tepe, 40º35’N, 31º48’E, 12 July 1962, P. H . Davis & M. J. E . Coode 37377 ( E). Bursa: Alpes Olym Byth, 40º4’N, 29º12’E, 1837, P. M. R . Aucher-Eloy 3425 (G-DC); Uludag, 40º4’N, 29º12’E, Aug 1945, M . Basarman s.n. ( G); Asia minor, near Bursa , ascent to Uludag (Mysian Olympus), alpine belt, 40º4’N, 29º12’E, 25 July 1912, B. A . Fedtschenko 172 ( LE); Uludağ bei Bursa, W-Seite, vom Ende der Straβe in Richtung Gipfel , 40º5’N, 29º10’E, 24 Aug 1992, E . Hörandl & F . Hadaček 4775 ( WU); Ulu dağ, alpwiden ob dem Hôtel Ulu Dağ, 40º8’N, 29º6’E, 27 June 1954, A . Huber-Morath 13254 ( G); Olympus Bithynus , 40º4’N, 29º12’E, 1857, R . Lenormand s.n. ( MO); Uludağ, zw. Hotel und Camping , 40º8’N, 29º6’E, 1 Aug 1976, M . Nydegger 11541 ( G); Uludağ , zwischen Hotel und Camping, 40º8’N, 29º6’E, 6 July 1979, M . Nydegger 14050 ( G); Bursa, 28 km oberhalb Bursa, 1km vor Telestation , 40º7’N, 29º8’E, 2 July 1980, M . Nydegger 15059 ( E, G); auf der südseite des Mte. Olymp. , 40º2’N, 29º17’E, June 1874, T . Pichler 104 ( G) .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Distribution map for Senecio castagneanus Candolle (○) and S. olympicus Boissier (▲).

FIGURE 21. A–I. Senecio olympicus Boissier—a. Habit (drawn from Boissier s.n. July 1842, L).—b. Habit (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—c. Capitulum (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—d. Involucral bract (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—e. Supplementary bract (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—f. Ligulate floret (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—g. Tubular floret (drawn from Davis 37377, E).—h. Achene (drawn from Nydegger 14050, G).—i. Indumentum of achene (drawn from Nydegger 14050, G). J–L. Senecio joharchii Ghahremaninejad et al. (drawn from Rahchamani 4692 & Ezazi, FAR, as image)—j. Capitulum.—k. Involucral bract.—l. Supplementary bract.