Galatella malacitana Blanca, Gavira & Suár.

Blanca, Gabriel, Gavira, Óscar & Suárez-Santiago, Víctor N., 2015, Galatella malacitana (Asteraceae): a new species from the peridotitic mountains of southern Spain, Phytotaxa 205 (4), pp. 239-248 : 240-246

Galatella malacitana Blanca, Gavira & Suár. -Sant., sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–3 )

Leaves linear-lanceolate, the lowermost 3-nerved, the intermediate (2–) 3–6 mm wide and one-nerved. Synflorescence laxly corymbose. Involucre 5–8 mm long, phyllaries 4–5-seriate. Ray flowers absent; disc flowers 17–23, hairy. Achenes 3.5–4.8 mm; pappus 3.5–5.5 mm.

Type:— SPAIN. Málaga: Coín, Sierra Alpujata, enebral sobre peridotitas, elevation of 438 m, 14 Octubre 2013, O. Gavira 61331 (holotype GDA!).

Perennial herb with nodose rhizome. Stems 1–3(–5), 35–55 cm, erect, floccose-tomentose, especially at the base. Leaves alternate, linear-lanceolate, entire, margins flat, gland-dotted and lanuginose on the lower side, the lowermost ones 50–120 × 3–7 mm, long-petiolate, 3-nerved, the intermediate ones 30–50 × (2) 3–6 mm, sessile or subsessile, one-nerved, gradually decreasing in size upwards. Synflorescence corymbose, lax, 3–8-headed (or with up to 16 heads if abortive ones are included); branches simple, subpatent; peduncles 2.5–14(–16) cm. Involucre 5–8 mm long, cylindrical to obconical, decurrent in the peduncles; phyllaries 4–5-seriate, gradate, herbaceous, linear-subulate, one-nerved, glabrous, margins partly scarious. Receptacle slightly convex. Capitula discoid. Ray flowers absent. Disc flowers 17–23, 5–7 mm long, hermaphrodite, yellow, surface hairy ( Fig. 3A ); tubes slender, limbs narrowly campanulate, lobes 5, lanceolate; anthers 2.2–2.8 mm, not appendiculated at the base; style appendages lanceolate or ovate-triangular. Achenes 3.5–4.8 mm, obovate, somewhat compressed, without obvious ribs, strigose-sericeous and gland-dotted ( Fig. 3B ); pappus 3.5–5.5 mm, bristles scabrid, whitish to pinkish, (1–)2–3-seriate, basally somewhat connate. 2n = 18 ( Fig. 4A , Table 1).

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the province of Málaga ( Spain).

Distribution and habitat:— Galatella malacitana is a species endemic to the south of peninsular Spain, restricted to the province of Málaga. There are only three known localities: one in the municipality of Coín, specifically in Sierra Alpujata, another in Sierra de Aguas, corresponding to the municipality of Carratraca, and another in Sierra Bermeja, municipality of Estepona ( Fig. 5 ).

The new species grows exclusively on peridotitic soils, forming part of the open shrublands, in the thermomediterranean bioclimatic belt at elevations between 400–700 m a.s.l. and in a dry ombrotype climate.

Phenology:— Galatella malacitana flowers from October to November, and produces fruits from late November to December.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— SPAIN. Málaga : Carratraca, Sierra de Aguas, 5 October 1972, G. López González 444948 ( MA!) ; Carratraca , Sierra de Aguas, pinar con matorral sobre peridotitas, 650 m, 15 October 2013, O. Gavira 61334 ( GDA!) ; Coín , Sierra Alpujata, pinar con matorral sobre peridotitas, 600 m, 6 October 2012, O. Gavira & P. Carrasco 61332 ( GDA!) ; Coín , Sierra Alpujata, pinar con matorral sobre peridotitas, 600 m, 9 October 2012, O. Gavira & P. Carrasco 61333 ( GDA!) ; Sierra Bermeja , ad laterem maris, undated, Haenseler 4285 ( GDA!) .

Comparison and discussion:— Table 1 lists the main differences between Galatella malacitana and the other three Iberian taxa. Besides morphology, it is distinguished from the other three by its ecological behaviour. While G. aragonensis , G. linosyris and G. sedifolia subsp. sedifolia live on limestone or siliceous substrates, G. malacitana grows exclusively in Mediterranean thickets on peridotites, a type of substrate with nutrition imbalances for plants that harbour numerous endemic taxa ( Rivas Goday & Esteve Chueca 1972; Rivas Goday 1973; Kruckerberg 1992; Stevanovič et al. 2003; Reeves & Adigüzel 2004; Safford et al. 2005; Selvi 2007; García-Barriuso et al. 2012; Pérez-Latorre et al. 2013).

Galatella malacitana can be easily distinguished from G. aragonensis and G. sedifolia (except subsp. biflora ) by its lack of ray flowers, a character that it shares with G. linosyris and related species [subgen. Linosyris ]. It can be distinguished from this latter species by its stems floccose-tomentose, basal leaves 3-nerved, cauline leaves wider, linear-lanceolate, flat, and hairy disc flowers ( Fig. 3A ). The presence or absence of hairs on the outer surface of the corolla is an excellent taxonomic character that has not been taken into account previously; G. malacitana and G. aragonensis have hairy disc flowers, while those of G. linosyris and G. sedifolia are constantly glabrous.

Besides G. malacitana , only two taxa of Galatella outside G. subgen. Linosyris lack the ray flowers, namely G. sedifolia subsp. biflora and G. regelii . Galatella malacitana differs from G. sedifolia subsp. biflora by a combination of differences in morphological characters and chromosome number. The morphological characters distinguishing both taxa include: the venation of the cauline leaves (all one-nerved in G. malacitana vs. the lower ones 3-nerved in G. sedifolia subsp. biflora ), the synflorescense (laxly corymbose in G. malacitana vs. rather compact in G. sedifolia subsp. biflora ), the number of flowers in capitula (17–23 in G. malacitana vs. 5–20 in G. sedifolia subsp. biflora ), the involucre length (5–8 mm in G. malacitana vs. 3–5 mm in G. sedifolia subsp. biflora ), and the venation of the external phyllaries (one-nerved in G. malacitana vs. 3-nerved in G. sedifolia subsp. biflora ). Moreover, Galatella malacitana is a diploid species (2n = 18; Fig. 4A ) while G. sedifolia subsp. biflora is tetraploid (2n = 36; Krasnikov & Korolyuk 2011).

Galatella malacitana also shares some morphological characters with the Asian G. regelii (besides the lack of ray flowers), such as having only 3-nerved basal leaves, and lax corymbose synflorescense with few capitula. However, G. regelii is clearly distinguished by lacking a lanuginose indument and having rather numerous basally ascending stems, cauline leaves c. 2 mm wide, a smaller involucre (4–5 mm long) with 3-seriate phyllaries, a longer pappus (5–6 mm), and the ecological behaviour characteristic of salt-marsh meadows and grasslands ( Tzvelev 1959).

Given that Galatella malacitana is a diploid species (2n = 18; Fig. 4A ) and it presents a very restricted distribution area, it is probably a relict species which has survived Pleistocene glaciations to be stranded in thermophilous areas on the Mediterranean slopes of Betic Sierras, which constituted plant refugia during the glaciations ( Blanca 1993, 1997; García-Antón et al. 2007; Monserrat & Gavira 2014).

Additional material studied:— Galatella aragonensis . SPAIN. Ávila: Navalonguilla, camino de los Veratos, 30TTK8657, brezales al borde del camino, 1300 m, 24August 2003, A. González Canalejo 58054 (GDA!). Guadalajara: Sigüenza, en el rodeno, 10 September 1949, Fernández Galiano & Rivas Goday (Flora Hispánica-Herbario Normal, Centuria VIII, Junio de 1954, núm. 787) 3732 (GDA!). La Rioja: Entre Robres et La Santa, cistetum laurifol., 1100

m, 4 September 1935, F. Cámara (Plantes d’Espagne.-F. Sennen, núm. 9967) 3730 (GDA!). Salamanca: Tejares, 30TTL7237, asomos de pizarras, 825 m, 22 September 1985, Sánchez Rodríguez 24046 (GDA!). Teruel: Entre Mora de Rubielos y Albentosa, en lugares arcillosos áridos, 950 m, 2 October 1946, E. Sierra (Flora Hispánica-Herbario Normal, Centuria VII, Abril de 1951, núm. 686) 3731 (GDA!); Santa Bárbara y Los Morenales, prope Orihuela del Tremedal, 21 August 1936, P. Font i Quer 46604, 46462 (GDA!). Galatella linosyris . SPAIN. Álava: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Ullibarri-Arrazua, bajo la fallida presa de Noreste, 30TWN3350, pastos y matorral de recuperación tras incendio de quejigal, margas, 16 September 2010, P.M. Uribe-Echebarria (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronésica Selecta, Centuria XV, 2010, núm. 1541) 56784 (GDA!). Bizkaia: Getxo, de la playa de Arrigunaga a la Punta de la Galea, 30TVP9701, matorrales de Genistion occidentalis sobre margas, 60 m, 28 September 2004, M. Herrera (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronésica Selecta, Centuria IX, 2004, núm. 904) 49932 (GDA!). Burgos: Junta de Traslaloma, Villaventín, cerca del camino de Valdecilla, herbazales en bordes de camino, 30TVN701636 (Datum ED-50), 755 m, 1 October 2011, J.A. Alejandre & M.J. Escalante (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronésica Selecta, Centuria XVI, 2011, núm. 1712) 58635 (GDA!). Cantabria: Pradería de Tanarrio, Camaleño, 30TUN6197579285, prado de siega en contacto con encinar, 480 m, 15 October 2007, S.L.G. Robinson (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronésica Selecta, Centuria XII, 2007, núm. 1228) 53542 (GDA!). Huesca: Berdún, 30TXN7618, pasto en los claros del carrascal, 630 m, 2 October 1969, P. Montserrat (Herbarium Jaca, Flora Iberica, núm. 726369) 19985 (GDA!); Jaca, camino entre Puente Colgante y Banaguás, 30TXN9816, pastos de lastón con toperas, 800 m, 8 October 2008, D. Gómez & J. Azorín (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronesica Selecta, Centuria XIV, 2009, núm. 1469) 55595 (GDA!). Jaén: Cazorla, Sierra de Cazorla, Nava de las Correhuelas, sustrato calcáreo, October 1998, A. Benavente 44849 (GDA!). La Iruela, Arroyo Frío, Parque Natural de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas, arroyo La Teja, 30SWH0802, pastizales arcillosos húmedos, 750 m, 5 October 2013, G. Blanca, J. Fuentes & M. Cueto 60120 (GDA!). La Rioja: San Vicente de la Sonsierra, ladera W-NW del cerro Salviaza sobre río Ebro, 30TWN1811, matorral abierto y herbazal en ambiente de coscojares desmantelados, calcarenitas, 450-465 m, 26 September 1999, J.A. Alejandre & M.J. Escalante 42185 (GDA!). Navarra: Badostáin, Irigarai, 30TXN143396, matorral de Aphyllanthion, 520 m, 11 November 2003, S. Fernández & R. Ibáñez (Exsiccata de Flora Iberomacaronésica Selecta, Centuria IX, 2004, núm. 945) 49973 (GDA!). Salamanca: Entre Muñoz y Boadilla, pastizales eutrofos sobre suelos gleyzados, 21 September 1979 (Herbario de la Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Flora Española, Primera Centuria, núm 79) 12088 (GDA!). Galatella sedifolia . Granada: Dílar, próximo a Ermita Vieja, claros del matorral heliófilo, sobre calizo-dolomías, piso mesomediterráneo subhúmedo, 12 October 2004, F.B. Navarro & M.N. Jimenez 50266 (GDA!); Guadix, Rambla Becerra, 30SVG9142, yesqueras y matorrales heliófilos, 950 m, 10 June 2000, F. Navarro Reyes 43200 (GDA!); Órgiva, Sierra de Lújar, cabecera del Barranco de las Cuevas, 30SVF6378, piornales y sotobosque de pinares calizos, 1650 m, 10 September 2013, J. Fuentes & G. Blanca 59944 (GDA!); Padul, Sierra Nevada, Silleta de Padul, 30SVF49, subrupícola en roquedo calcáreo, 1500 m, 23 July 1985, Molero Mesa & Pérez Raya 17702 (GDA!); Sierra de Alfacar, 20 August 1909, Díez Tortosa 3743, 3744 (GDA!); ibídem, pr. Cueva del Agua, calizas, October 1986, J. Molero Mesa 58837 (GDA!); Sierra Nevada, Güéjar Sierra, frente al Púlpito de Canales, suelos pedregosos, 19 October 1979, M. Ladero, López Guadalupe & J. Molero Mesa 9041 (GDA!). Jaén: Torredelcampo, cerro de los Morteros, 30SVG2579, calizas, 1100 m, 9 November 1974, C. Fernández 742348 (JAEN!). La Rioja: San Vicente de la Sonsierra, cerros cercanos a Los Corrales, ladera N-NW sobre el río Ebro, 30TWN2309, pastos en zonas de coscojares desmantelados, calcarenitas, 400 m, 23 September 1999, J.A. Alejandre & M.J. Escalante 42969 (GDA!). Teruel: Gea de Albarracín, 1 October 1967, Rivas Goday & Borja 7339 (GDA!). Valencia: Barig, October 1978, Mansanet & Mateo 16328 (GDAC!); Oliva, carrascales aclarados, 200 m, 23 November 1984, G. Mateo & R. Figuerola 27910 (GDAC!).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–D Galatella malacitana (from the holotype). A, Habit; B, capitulum; C, detail of disc flower; D, achene and pappus.

FIGURE 2. Galatella malacitana (GDA 61334). A, Detail of synflorescence; B, capitulum.

FIGURE 3. SEM micrographs of Galatella malacitana (from the holotype). A, Detail of disc flower showing surface hairs; B, detail of achene showing the strigose-sericeous indumentum and the short-stalked glands.

FIGURE 4. Metaphase plates: A, Galatella malacitana (GDA 61334); B, Galatella sedifolia (JAEN 742348).

FIGURE 5. Map of the known populations of Galatella malacitana in the Iberian Peninsula.