Poa magellensis F.Conti & Bartolucci, 2020

Conti, Fabio, Martino, Luciano Di & Bartolucci, Fabrizio, 2020, Poa magellensis (Poaceae), a new species from Central Apennine (Italy), PhytoKeys 144, pp. 113-124 : 113

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.144.49971
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D5816944-0FB5-5CD9-BCF9-2557FDA5E4D7
treatment provided by	PhytoKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Poa magellensis F.Conti & Bartolucci
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Poa magellensis F.Conti & Bartolucci sp. nov. Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3

Type.

Italy. Abruzzo, Fara S. Martino (Chieti), Majella, M. Acquaviva (WGS84 42°06'11.1"N, 14°07'55.9"E), 2720 m, pendii rupestri, 30 Jul. 2019, F. Conti, L. Di Martino & V. Di Cecco s.n. (holotype: APP 65502; isotype: APP 65501).

Diagnosis.

Poa magellensis differs from P. ligulata by: basal leaves adaxially lightly scabrous or sparsely hairy vs glabrous, longer ligules particularly in the upper leaves (2.5)4-6.9(9) vs. (1.8)2-5(6) mm long, panicles denser with primary branches sub-erect to erect, glumes with broader scarious margin 0.1-0.4(0.5) vs. 0-0.2 mm wide, more acute glumes and lemmas, longer lemmas (2.7)2.9-3.5(3.6) vs. (2.1)2.3-2.9(3) mm long, longer paleas (2.2)2.5-3.1(3.2) vs. 2-2.8(3) mm long, rachilla hairy vs glabrous, calluses usually with a crown of hairs or shortly webbed vs glabrous, longer caryopses 1.7-2.2 vs. 1.4-1.7 mm long.

Description.

Perennials; without horizontal or downward tending cataphyllous shoots, densely tufted, bicolour, green and white because of the brightness of large exerted ligules; tillers erect or ascending, intravaginal. Culms 20-150 mm tall, 0.25-0.5 mm in diameter, erect to ascending slender, terete, smooth, weakly sulcate, nodes (1)2 exerted, thickened at the base with old leaf-sheaths. Leaves green, leaves-sheaths terete, smooth, glabrous, ribbed; collars smooth, glabrous; blades of basal leaves (8)8.6-19.4(20) mm long, 0.8-1.5(1.6) mm wide, linear, usually folded, abaxially rough, margins lightly scabrous, adaxially lightly scabrous or sparsely hairy, prow-tipped, blades strongly graduated or reduced distally, blades of uppermost leaves 3.5-12 mm long, ligules of the basal leaves (4)4.7-10.2(12) mm long, smooth, glabrous, whitish-pearly, lacerate, apices acuminate, decurrent on the sheaths; ligules of the uppermost leaves (2.5)4-6.9(9) mm long. Panicles compact, narrowly ellipsoid, (11)11.6-22.4(23) mm long, 5-10(13) mm wide, dense, with 3-7 nodes, rachis with 1-2(-3) branches per node; primary branches sub-erect to erect, sulcate or few-angled, scabrous 0.1-0.3 mm in diameter, longest branches up to 5 mm, with 1-3 spikelets, pedicels 0.1-4 mm. Spikelets 3.2-5(5.4) mm long, (1.3)1.4-3.2(3.5) wide, laterally compressed; bulbifery absent, violaceous and green, not pruinose, florets 2-4(5); rachilla hairy to sparsely hairy. Glumes subequal (1-)3 veined, not reaching lemma apices, lanceolate, with scarious margin 0.1-0.4(0.5) mm, glabrous, distinctly keeled, keels moderately scabrous in the distal part, apices sharply-acute; lower glumes (2.1)2.2-3.3(3.4) mm long; upper glumes (2.4)2.5-3.6 mm long; calluses with a crown of hairs (0.1-0.3 mm) or shortly webbed; lemmas (2.7)2.9-3.5(3.6) mm long, 1-5 weakly veined, lanceolate, violaceous or sometimes green, with scarious margin broader in the distal part, distinctly keeled, keels short villous in proximal part (1-2 mm), scaberulous along distal keel and sparsely in the upper sides, apices acute; paleas (2.2)2.5-3.1(3.2) mm long, scabrous along the keels, between keels glabrous. Anthers 1-2 mm long. Caryopses 1.7-2.2 mm long.

Distribution and habitat.

Poa magellensis is endemic to Majella Mountains (Mt. Amaro, Mt. Focalone, Mt. Acquaviva, between Mt. Focalone and Mt. Acquaviva, Cima delle Murelle) in Central Apennine (Italy). It grows on limestone rocky slopes from 2200 up to 2730 m a.s.l. (Fig. 4 View Figure 4 ).

Phenology.

Flowering in July, fruiting July to August.

Chromosome number.

A single population (Majella, Cima delle Murelle) of P. magellensis is resulted diploid with 2n = 14 chromosomes ( Astuti et al. 2019 under the name P. ligulata ).

Conservation status.

The populations of P. magellenis are included in NATURA 2000 network within the Site of Community Interest "IT140203 Majella" in the Majella National Park. The extent of occurrence (EOO) is 6.86 km2 calculated with minimum convex hull polygon in QGIS and area of occupancy (AOO) is 16 km2 calculated with a 2 × 2 km cell fixed grid. The species occurs in only one location (definition according to IUCN 2019), but the population is not declining, and there are no extreme fluctuations. According to IUCN criterion B (2019) we propose to include P. magellensis in the following category: Near Threatened (NT).

Etymology.

The specific epithet of the new species is derived from the type locality, Magella Mountains (currently Majella Mountains).

Taxonomic notes.

The new species P. magellensis is similar to P. ligulata but can be distinguished by several characters as shown in Table 2 View Table 2 .

Additional specimens examined.

Poa magellensis F.Conti & Bartolucci (paratypes): Italy. Abruzzo: in pascuis alpinis di M. Amaro, calc., m. 2600, Jul exeunte, G. Rigo s.n. [Iter in Aprutio anno 1905] (BP); Majella, sotto l’anfiteatro delle Murelle e il Fusco, verso il Blockhaus, Pennapiedimonte (Chieti), pendii rupestri, 2250-2500 m, 04 Aug. 1991, F. Conti s.n. (APP 12455); Majella, dal Blockhaus al Focalone, Caramanico Terme (Pescara), pendii rupestri, 2350 m, 30 Jul. 2009, F. Conti, L. Gubellini & R. Soldati s.n. (APP 59356); salendo a Cima delle Murelle in loc. La Carozza, Pennapiedimonte (Chieti), rupi e pendii rupestri, 2300 m, 02 Sep. 2011, F. Bartolucci & F. Conti s.n. (APP 59212, 59214); Majella, Cima delle Murelle, Pennapiedimonte (Chieti), pendii rupestri, 2250 m, 17 Jul. 2019, F. Conti & L. Di Martino s.n. (APP 65242, 65243, 65244, 65245, 65246, 65247, 65248, 65249, 65250, 65251, 65252, 65254, 65253, 65255). Poa ligulata Boiss.: Morocco. c38 km from Chefchaouen, 14 km above Bab Taza on track to Djbel Talamssemtane (35°9'N, 5°12'W), forest of Abies maroccana and Cedrus atlantica , on limestone, 1765-1900 m, 26 Jun. 1992, Achhal et al. n. 64.2260 [Optima Iter Mediterraneum V] (APP 45892; SALA 144759); Tanger-Tétouan: Bab Taza, pr. Refugio del Jbel Lakraa, 35°8'11,7"N, 5°8'13,6"W, 1693-2000 m, substrato calizo dolomitico, 16 Jun. 2008, S. Andrés et al. n. AQ2695 (SALA 159115); Spain. Aznattin W. (Macizo de Magina pr. Jaén) 1710 m. riscas, 20 Jun. 1926, Cuatrecasas s.n. (BC-70613); Carceles in decliv. NW, rupestr. 1950 m. alt., 17 Jun. 1826, Cuatrecasas s.n. (BC-70612); Sierra Tejeda, Málaga, 10 Jun. 1919, Gros s.n. (BC-70615); Cadiz: Grazalema, 30 Jun. 1925, Font i Quer & Gros s.n. (BC-914825); Baetica: in graminosis l. Cerrecillos del Sabinal dicto, montis Sierra de Gador (Almeria), ad 2000 m alt., 27 May 1921, Gros n. 108 [Flora Iberica selecta Cent. II] (BC-86523,BC-61436, BC-86524); ibidem, Gros s.n. (BC-70614); Cerro de la Laguna, Sierra de Cazorla, 1550 m, (J) WG0295, in locis lapidosis cacuminalis, 25 May 1981, A.M. Hernández s.n. (BC-641787); Teruel: Palomar de Arroyos, port de Sant Just, entre Escucha i Palomar de Attoyos, UTM 30T 687830 4515699, 1486 m, 02 Jun. 2010, S. Pyke & M. Aixart s.n. (BC-904950); Sierra de Javalambre ( España, prov. Teruel), 30S XK 74, alt 1850 m, pastizal subnitrófilo de alta montaña, Festuco-Pojon ligulatae Rivas Goday & Rivas Martínez, 01 Jun. 1985, M. Costa et al. n. 13853 (SALA 83393); La Rioja: Turruncún, Sierra de Préjano, Peña Isasa, 30T WM7068, 1450 m, en crestones y pequeñas repisas con suelo esquelético, caracterizando los céspedes xerofiticos del Festuco-Pojon ligulatae Rivas Goday & Rivas Martínez 1966, 29 Jun. 1988, Amich, Fdez. Diez & Sanchez Rodriguez n. 97 [Exsiccata Selecta Flora Ibericae] (SALA 83963, 45290); Villafeliz de Babia ( León), 20 May 1983, J. Andrés & Fllamas s.n. (SALA 68424); Granada: Sierra Nevada, Puerto de la Ragua, suelos pedregosos, 17 Jul. 1971, Ladero & E. Valdés s.n. (SALA 64021); Valporqueto (Espagne, prov León, Cordillera Cantábrica), alt. 1250 m, pâturages pierreux dans la zone subalpine cantabrique, fissures et replats des rochers calcaires, communautés du Festuco-Pojon ligulatae, 06 Jul. 1980, J.M. Losa Quintana n. 11026 (SALA 70101); Segovia: Navares de las Cuevas, Peñacuero, 08 Jun. 1985, Rico, T. Romero & Sánchez Rodriguez s.n. (SALA 49384); Pastizales pedregosos en el Cerro de San Cristobal, Grazalema ( Cádiz), Jun. 1961, Borja s.n. (SALA 1747); Ciudad encantada (Cuenca), 13 May 1977, Fernández Diez, Rico, Amich & Sánchez s.n. (SALA 11599); Guadalajara: Saúca, 30T WL 4041, 1150 m, páramo calizo con Genista pumila , 22 Jun. 1987, L. Villar & P. Montserrat s.n. (SALA 125139); Cádiz, Grazalema base del Cerro de San Cristobal, 23 May 1966, E.F. Galiano s.n. (SALA 22260); Teruel: nacimiento del rio Tajo, 15 Jun. 1982, Rico & Sánchez s.n. (SALA 32128); León: Ponferrada, Peñalba de Santiago, en calizas, 25 Jun. 1984, S. Castroviejo, J.L. Fernández Alonso, Gonzalo & Valdes s.n. (SALA 103309); Prado Martín, Penyagolosa prov. Castellón, 1550 m, Poo-Festucetum hystricis, 20 Jun. 1980, I. Soriano s.n. (SALA 71015); Granada: Sierra Nevada, Barranco de San Juan, en suelos pedregosos, 3200 m, 10 Jul. 1980, M. Ladero, López-Guadalupe & Molero (SALA 61347); Castellon: El Toro ( L’Alt Palància), la Halmarja, 30S XK82, 1500 m, patizales ralos de Minuartio-Pojon, 18 May 1984, A. Aguilella n. 15828 (SALA 90109); Segovia: villar de Sobrepeña, Cerro del Valdemuela, 15 May 1983, T. Romero s.n. (SALA 40608); Segovia; Sepúlveda, 01 Jun. 1986, X. Giraldez & T. Romero s.n. (SALA 41703); Segovia: Prádena, Peña Corva, 02 Jun. 1984, T. Romero s.n. (SALA 40607); Burgos: Hontorio de la Cantera, 30T VM 4769, 950 m, frecuente, encinar, calizas de cantera subterraneas, 16 May 2004, J.L.B. Alonso s.n. (SALA 124549); Cadiz: Sierra de Grazalema, 12 Jun. 1976, A.M. Hernandez s.n. (SALA 31879).

Key to identification of species of Poa sect. Alpinae in Europe (from Edmondson 1980 modified)