Edraianthus serbicus subsp. stankovicii Lakušić, 2016

Lakušić, Dmitar, Stefanović, Saša, Siljak-Yakovlev, Sonia, Rakić, Tamara, Kuzmanović, Nevena & Surina, Boštjan, 2016, Edraianthus stankovicii (Campanulaceae), an overlooked taxon from the Balkan Peninsula-Evidence from morphometric, molecular and genome size studies, Phytotaxa 269 (2), pp. 69-89 : 80-85

Edraianthus serbicus subsp. stankovicii Lakušić , subsp. nov.

Validating description:—under ‘ Edraianthus serbicus subsp. stankovicii ’ in Lakušić (1974: 27).

Type:— SERBIA. NE Serbia: Mt. Stol, kamenjar po vrhu [rocky grounds at summit], 25 June 1955, Nikolić, V. s.n. (BEO!, holotype) ( Fig. 8 ).

Notes:—Radomir Lakušić (1933–2005) was the first who recognized that populations of Edraianthus serbicus from NE Serbia are different in regard to other populations of the species. Within E. serbicus Lakušić (1974) distinguished two subspecies: the typical E. serbicus subsp. serbicus found throughout the species range, and the newly described E. serbicus subsp. stankovicii ( Lakušić 1974: 27) found only at Mts. Veliki Krš and Stol in NE Serbia. However, the name E. serbicus subsp. stankovicii was not validly published, since in the type citation neither a collector’s name nor collecting number nor date were cited, as required by Art. 40.3 Note 2 of the ICBN ( McNeill et al. 2012). Even if we consider the complete protologue, with introductory remarks and citation of specimens, no specimen deposited in IBUS was listed ( Lakušić 1974: 23). Therefore, the name is validly published here by providing a type citation and a direct reference to the description published by Lakušić (1974: 27). The name is published here as accepted by R. Lakušić, not by us because we recognise the taxon as a species; for this reason, Art. 36.2 does not apply here.

During the siege of Sarajevo from 1991–1995, the herbarium at the Institute of Botany, University of Sarajevo (IBUS) was completely destroyed. Consequently, we could not trace the type specimen deposited in IBUS that was indicated by Lakušić (1974: 28). The specimen we choose as the holotype was seen and determined by R. Lakušić in 1969 ( Fig. 7 ), as well as cited in his monograph ( Lakušić 1974: 23), being therefore part of the original material and suitable for typification. Although this specimen was determined as E. serbicus , probably after more detailed investigations Lakušić (1974) decided to describe a new subspecies later on.

The original spelling “stankovićii ” is correctable according to Art. 60.6 ( McNeill et al. 2012).

Our phylogenetic analyses based on Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), plastid DNA (trnLF region and rbcL-atpB spacer) and nuclear ribosomal ETS sequences confirmed the monophyly of E. serbicus and revealed two distinct and allopatrically distributed taxa. The genome size and morphological analyses, performed on the same widespread sample of populations largely corresponded with molecular results, allowing us to raise this neglected taxon E. serbicus subsp. stankovicii to the species level.

Edraianthus stankovicii (Lakušić) D. Lakušić & Surina , stat. nov. ≡ Edraianthus serbicus subsp. stankovicii Lakušić in D. Lakušić et al., Phytotaxa 269: 80. 2016 (validated in this paper). Figs. 7 and 9 .

Type:— SERBIA. NE Serbia: Mt. Stol, kamenjar po vrhu [rocky grounds at summit], 25 June 1955, Nikolić, V. s.n. (BEO!, holotype) ( Fig. 8 ).

− Campanula caudata Vis. pro parte sensu Pančić (1874: 478).

The identity of the name Edraianthus lemsii subsp. stankovicii attributed to Lakušić, listed in e.g. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) or Global Names Index (GNI), is not clear. By studying the work of Radomir Lakušić, we could not find any confirmation that he published this name. The species epithet exists in some species described from Canary Islands (e.g. Argyranthemum lemsii Humphries 1976: 190 , Descurainia lemsii Bramwell 1973: 24 ), and was given in honour of botanist Kornelius Lems (1931–1968) who contributed to the knowledge of the flora of Canary Islands. This epithet exists also in some cultivars— Dianthus “lemsii ” ( Dianthus plumarius “lemsii ”). Since Edraianthus serbicus is also cultivated in rock gardens throughout Europe, we assume that the mistake has occurred while taking the epithet “lemsii ” from a Dianthus cultivar, which was wrongly included in the name Edraianthus serbicus as E. serbicus “lemsii ” (later on as E. lemsii and/or E. lemsii subsp. stankovicii ).

Given that in relevant recent floristic literature E. stankovicii is suppressed as synonym of E. serbicus ( Castroviejo et al. 2010, Lammers 2007) or completely ignored ( Kuzmanov 1976), as well as that recent research yielded new insights into the morphology, phylogeny and systematics of the E. dalmaticus - serbicus group, a new differential diagnosis, description and illustration of E. stankovicii are additionally provided ( Tab. 3, Figs. 7 , 9–10 ).

In the morphological descriptions value ranges correspond to the mean ± standard deviation, with the minimal and maximal values in brackets.

Diagnosis:—Closest to E. serbicus , from which it differs by leaf shape (spathulate to spathulate-ligulate vs. narrowly linear-lanceolate); length of basal leaves ((12.8–) 19.9–33.6 (–35.2) mm vs. (12.8–) 35.3–69.0 (–93.7) mm); shape of outer involucral bracts (slightly attenuate and shorter than the flower vs. abruptly long-attenuate and as long as or longer then flowers, Fig. 10 ).

Description:—Caespitose perennial. Rhizome stout, woody, branched. Stems numerous, simple, (2.8–) 4.1–8.5 (–10.6) cm, erect to ascending, more or less hairy. Leaves spathulate to spathulate-ligulate, in upper part sometimes slightly crenulate, glabrous, ciliate with ciliae oriented towards leaf apex; cauline leaves few or up to 10, (13.7–) 15.7– 22.0 (–24.7) × (1.7–) 1.7–2.5 (–3.3) mm, subsessile; basal (rosette) leaves numerous, (12.8–) 19.9–33.6 (–35.2) × (1.1–) 1.3–2.6 (–3.7) mm. Inflorescence is a terminal cluster with (2–) 3–7 (–8) subsessile flowers, sparsely subtending by bracts. Bracts (6–) 7–9 (–10), entire, obtuse, slightly attenuate, shorter than the flower, glabrous, reddish to brownish, margin with white ciliae; outer broadly ovate to ovate-oblong, (9.0–) 9.8–15.0 (–19.2) × (3.4–) 3.8–5.6 (–6.3) mm, inner ovate to ovate-oblong, (6.0–) 7.5–11.1 (–11.9) × (4.1–) 4.5–5.9 (–6.6) mm. Calyx tube green, glabrous to sparsely hairy; calyx lobes widely triangular, (0.8–) 1.0–1.8 (–2.3) × (0.9–) 1.1–1.5 (–1.6) mm, much shorter than tube, reddish, white ciliate. Corolla campanulate, (12.6–) 13.8–18.5 (–20.9) × (6.4–) 7.6–10.8 (–11.6) mm, glabrous or hirsute on veins, violet; corolla lobes (5.4–) 5.5–7.9 (–9.2) × (3.2–) 3.4–4.5 (–5.3) mm. Style 1, (13.6–) 14.0–17.9 (–18.9) mm long, stigma 2–3 lobed; Stamens 5, inserted on disc, anthers (3.2–) 4.0–6.1 (–7.1) mm long, lower part distinctly dilated to deltoid shaped (1.5–) 1.7–2.3 (–2.7) mm long structure.

Chromosome Number:— 2n = 32 (estimated based on the genome size).

Phenology:—Flowering specimens have been observed from June to July.

Etymology:—The species epithet is taken from Lakušić (1974). The new species is named in honour of Prof. Siniša Stanković, a Serbian biologist who significantly contributed to the development of zoological and botanical research in the former Yugoslav countries.

Distribution and ecology:— Edraianthus stankovicii is distributed in a very narrow area restricted to the Mts Veliki Krš and Stol (northeastern Serbia). The nearest populations of the E. serbicus complex are situated c. 50 km northwest (Mt. Vukan), and southwest (Mt Rtanj) from the type locality ( Fig. 1 ). Edraiantus stankovicii is an eastern Moesian endemic species ( Horvat et al. 1974).

The new species exclusively inhabits the calcareous north, east and south-east facing exposed rocky crevices (Edraiantho graminifolii-Erysimion comati Mucina et al. 1990, Asplenietea trichomanis Br.-Bl. 1934 corr. Oberd. 1977) at elevations between 900 and 1100 m. Edraianthus stankovicii is one of the accompanying rock dwellers growing together with Achillea ageratifolia subsp. serbica (Nyman) Heimerl. , Asplenium ruta-muraria L., A. trichomanes L., Aster alpinus L. subsp. dolomiticus (Beck) Hayek , Carex humilis Leyss. , Carum graecum Boiss. & Heldr. , Dianthus noeanus Boiss. , Erysimum comatum Pančić , Euphrasia salisburgensis Funck , Festuca rupicola Heuff. s.l., Primula auricula subsp. serratifolia (Rochel) Jáv. , Saxifraga paniculata Mill. , Sesleria filifolia Hoppe , Silene flavescens Waldst. & Kit. , Thymus serbicus Petrović , Trinia glauca (L.) Dumort., etc.

Conservation status:— Edraianthus stankovicii is found only at the Mts Veliki Krš and Stol that are only 5 km apart. Its population size is estimated to be less than 2000 mature individuals while the area of occupancy is smaller than 1 km 2. Therefore according to the IUCN (2001) Criteria it should be regarded as Critically Endangered (criteria CR B1 i, ii, iv; B2a).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of taxa of the Edraianthus tenuifolius-complex in the Balkan Peninsula. State abbreviation: AL—Albania, BH—Bosnia and Hercegovina, BU—Bulgaria, CR —Croatia, HU—Hungary, MA—Macedonia, MN—Montenegro, RO—Romania, SL—Slovenia, SR—Serbia.

FIGURE 7. Edraianthus stankovicii (Lakušić) D. Lakušić & Surina, stat. nov. A. Habitus. B. Rosette leaf. Bracts of flowering capitula. D. Calyx. E. Corolla. F. Style. G. Anther. (Line drawing Aleksandra Kovačević).

FIGURE 8. Holotype of the name Edraianthus stankovicii (Lakušić) D. Lakušić & Surina, stat. nov. (BEO!).

FIGURE 9. Edraianthus stankovicii from Mt. Veliki Krš in E Serbia. A-B. Habitus. C. Stout, woody, branched rhizome. D. Rosette leaf. E. Terminal cluster with subsessile flowers sparsely subtending by bracts. F. Bracts of flowering capitula, with white ciliate margin. G. Calyx with broadly triangular calyx-teeth that are shorter than ovary (Photos: D. Lakušić).

FIGURE 10. Main morphological differences in characteristics of bracts and flowers. Left plant: Edraianthus serbicus—Mt. Rtanj. Right plant: Edraianthus stankovicii—Mt. Veliki Krš (Photo D. Lakušić).