Allium cf. cupanii Rafinesque (1810: 86)

Khedim, Thinhinan, Amirouche, Nabila & Amirouche, Rachid, 2016, Morphological and cytotaxonomic data of Allium trichocnemis and A. seirotrichum (Amaryllidaceae) endemic to Northern Algeria, compared with A. cupanii group, Phytotaxa 243 (3), pp. 247-259 : 252-254

Allium cf. cupanii Rafinesque (1810: 86) ( Fig. 3A–C )

Description: —Bulbs conical up to 24 × 9 mm, flattened in one side, clustered together, with outer bulb tunics fibrousreticulate, closely adherent at the base. Scape erect up to 290 mm long, covered by leaf sheaths up to 1/2 of its length. Leaves filiform, slightly hairy at the margins. Spathe 1-valved, sheathing the base of the umbel. Umbel few-flowered, fastigiate, with unequal pedicels. Perigone cylindrical to urceolate, pinkish-white, with tepals 6.1–6.4 × 1–1.6 mm long, provided with midvein brown-purplish. Stamens included, with filaments narrowly subulate, 4.6–5.2 mm long; annulus 1.5–1.7 mm long. Ovary globose, trigonous, with small nectariferous pores; style 1–1.4 mm long. Capsule 3.5–4.3 × 3.6–5.2 mm.

Karyology: —The examined populations are all tetraploids 2n = 4x = 32, with base number x = 8 ( Fig. 4C ). The karyotype formula is 6m 2sat + 9 msmsat + 1sm with asymmetry indices M CA = 13.68 and CV CL = 17.74 ( Table 3).

Distribution and habitat: —In Algeria it is localized on coastal cliffs (Mt. Gouraya, Ténès), hills and mountains of Tellian Atlas (Lala Setti). Scattered populations with aggregated individuals grow in sunny crevices with perennial grass and shrub communities ( Fig. 3A ). Plants referable to this species were recorded from various Mediterranean countries ( Morocco, Algeria, Italian peninsula, Sicily, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Anatolia).

Phenology: —Flowering from August to September.

Herbarium specimens examined:— ALGERIA. Boussaâda: Djebel Keroaoa , January 1865, V. Reboud s.n. ( P01850734 !) ; Oran: collines arides, July 1956, G. Munby s.n. ( P01850731 !) ; Constantine: bord du chott, 18 June 1859, E. Cosson s.n. ( P01850732 !) ; Alger: Côteaux aux environs d’Alger , June 1961, J. Durando s.n. ( P01850733 !) ; MOROCCO. Dar-Drius: sol argileux très dur, 1931, Sennen & Mauricio 8044 ( P01850737 !) ; TUNISIA. Feriana: 22 June 1884, M. Letourneux s.n. ( P01850701 !) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Morphologic traits of Allium cf. cupanii (A–C) and A. cf. hirtovaginatum (D–I): A. Plant in rock crevices (Mt Gouraya); B. Bulb with outer tunics; C. Inflorescence; D. Plant in stony soil (Timgad) with leaves and detail of the hairiness; E. Bulb with outer tunics; F. Inflorescence; G. Plant on sandy dunes in the Saharan border (Brezina); H. Inflorescence; I. Flower details. Photos by Rachid Amirouche.

FIGURE 4. Metaphase plates and corresponding idiograms of haploid chromosome complements: A. A. seirotrichum 2n = 4x = 32 from Zoubiria (Brazza); B. A. trichocnemis 2n = 4x = 32 from Mt Gouraya (Béjaia); C. A. cf. cupanii 2n = 4x = 32 from Mt Gouraya; D. A. cf. hirtovaginatum 2n = 2x = 14 from Timgad. Scale bar = 10 μm (for plates and idiograms).