Limonium zeraphae Brullo (1980: 285)

Agius, Dolores Rita, Galea, Maria Elizabeth, Cambria, Salvatore, Galdo, Gianpietro Giusso Del & Brullo, Salvatore, 2023, Taxonomic survey on the genus Limonium in the Maltese islands, with description of a new species, Phytotaxa 622 (2), pp. 99-114 : 105-107

Limonium zeraphae Brullo (1980: 285) ( Fig. 3 )

Typus : MALTA: Malta, Il Blata i-Baida, 25 Juin 1973, Brullo & Ronsisvalle s.n. (Holotype CAT 013207!, isotype CAT 013207! hoc loco, MPU 821682 ! hoc loco) .

≡ Statice reticulata Linnaeus (1753: 275) p.p.

– Statice reticulata Sommier & Caruana Gatto (1915: 213) , non Linnaeus (1753)

Plant perennial, glabrous, with caudices dense, contracted branched, 0.5–2.5 cm long. Leaves green, rigid, densely inserted on the caudices, oblanceolate to oblanceolate-spathulate, 1–nerved, 10–40 mm long, 2–6 (9) mm wide, more or less revolute at the margin, rounded to obtuse at the apex, usually withered at anthesis. Stem numerous, rigid, prostrate to ascending, 6–40 cm long, articulate, fragile at the nodes branched from the base, obtrullate, with numerous branched sterile branches, markedly arcuate to reflexed. Articles 5–30 mm long, covered by deepened glands, forming usually branching angles 90–160°. Inflorescence paniculate, with fertile branches localized at the top of the stem. Spikes 20–80 mm long, very divaricate to arcuate, with spikelets remotely arranged. Spikelets 7–8.5 mm long, 2–3 per cm, 1–2 flowered. Outer bract 1.7–2 mm long, ovate, acute to obtuse, coriaceous in the central part, forming an apiculum 0.4–0.8 mm long, membranous at margin. Middle bract membranous, rounded, 1.5–2.2 mm long. Inner bract (4.5) 4.8–5 mm long, 3.2–3.5 mm wide, elliptical to oblong, rounded, with outer hyaline margin and pale brown inner margin, central part herbaceous, with an apiculum 0.8–1.2 mm long, not reaching the apex. Calyx 5–6 mm long, sparsely hairy at the base of the tube, 2–2.5 mm protruding from the inner bract, with tube 2.3–2.5 mm long and limb 3.5–3.7 mm long, with midribs ending in the middle of the lobes, which are triangular-ovate, 1–1.2 mm long.

Etymology: — This species is dedicated to Stephano Zerapha (1791–1871), Maltese botanist and director of Floriana Botanical Garden.

Phenology: — Limonium zeraphae flowers from June to October and producing seeds from August to November.

Distribution and ecology: — This species is endemic of Maltese Archipelago, where it occurs in Malta, Gozo and Comino, mainly along the rocky coast ( Fig.7 ). It is a chamaephyte, showing a prostrate and intricate habit, localized usually on coralline limestones, in the stands very close to the sea. The vegetation characterized by this peculiar halophyte was described by Brullo et al. (2020) as Limonietum zeraphae , association of Crucianellion rupestris , which is an alliance belonging to Crithmo-Limonietea. Ecologically, this plant community shows marked thermo-xerophilous requirements, since linked to very arid and sunny calcareous surfaces, with soils occurring only in the rocky crevices. The species more frequent in these habitats are Crucianella rupestris , Cichorium spinosum , Crithmum maritimum , Lotus cytisoides , Plantago macrorhiza Poiret (1789: 114) , etc.

Conservation status:— In the last fifty years, the islands of the Maltese Archipelago have undergone a considerable alteration of the natural landscape, due to numerous anthropic factors, such as the increase of urbanization, road network, agricultural activities and above all tourism, which have particularly affected the coastal environment, where the species of Limonium have their highest concentration. In particular, L. zeraphae , which in the past had a much wider distribution, has currently undergone a significant reduction of its original range, especially near the most urbanized coastal areas. Therefore, the progressive and constant regression of its populations with a much lower number of individuals than in the past, L. zeraphae should be classified, according to IUCN protocol ( IUCN 2023), as “vulnerable” VU A2.

Specimensexamined: — MALTA. Malta:MistraBay, 23September1985, S.Brullos.n. (CAT013212!); Dragunara, 24 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013213!); Dragunara, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013230!); Dragunara, 9 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013236!); Ras L-Irquiequa, 24 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013219!); Wadi Babu, 27 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013220!); Wadi Babu, 24 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013223!); Barrija Valley, 25 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013212!); Ramla Tar-Torri, 26 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013210!); Gar Lapsi, 27 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013211!); Gueja Bay, 28 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013215!); Grhaja Hadid, 26 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013216!); Gnejma Bay, 25 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013217!); Qawra Point, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013224!); Il Blata L-Bajda, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013225!); Zonqok Point (Marsaskala), 24 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013228!); Gagar Kim, 10 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013253!); Marfa Point, 27 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013249!); Marfa Point, 26 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013234!); Madalena Tower, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013238!); Limarbat (Marfa), 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013239!); Gar Lapsi, 27 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013242!); Qrejten Point, 25 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013243!); Qrejten Point, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013237!); Ras il Griebeg (Mellieha), 28 September 1985, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013228!); Ras L-Irquiequa, 25 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013244!); Imtahleb, in rupibus maritimis, 6 May 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!); Mtaleb, Wied Migra Ferha, 14 November 1986, S. Brullo & P. Pavone s.n. (CAT 013245!); Paradise Bay, 23 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013247!); Qahet (St. Julien), su terra in terreno roccioso in riva al mare, 28 October 1984, E, Lanfranco 7213 (CAT 013229!); Gnejma Bay, 25 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013217!); Roum Rxawn (St. Paul Bay), 25 September 1984, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013231!); Roum Tal Vigaju, 14 November 1986, S. Brullo & P. Pavone s.n. (CAT 013233!); Selinum Palace, 9 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013235!); Malta alla Valletta, a S. Giuliano, June, Todaro s.n. (FI!); Malta in rupibus maritimis, 6 May 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!); Melita, August 1845, Delicata s.n. (FI!); Malta, s. d., Tineo s.n. (FI!); L-Ahrax, costa rocciosa, 28 September 2022, G. Tavilla s.n. (CAT!); Qalet Marku, 28 September 2022, G. Tavilla s.n. (CAT!); Gozo: Xlendi, 29 June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013221!); St. Dimitri Point, 25 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013226!); Cala Dweira, 25 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013227!); Insula Gaulos, Cala Dweira, in rupibus maritimis, 17 April 1906, Sommier s.n. (FI!); ibdem, 23 April 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!); Dweira, 11 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013240!); Marsalfor Bay, 13 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013250!); Marsalforno, 26 April 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!); Hekk Point (Zebug), 25 September 1985, S. Brullo s.n. (CAT 013230!); Ta Xiilep Qara, 13 April 1984, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013254!); Quara, 29.June 1973, S. Brullo & G. Ronsisvalle s.n. (CAT 013241!); Ramla, 25 April 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!); Gaulos in saxosis maritimis Redun il Kibvi, 13 April 1874, Duthie s.n. (FI!); Comino: Comino, 24 April 1907, Sommier s.n. (FI!).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Diagnostic features of Limomium zeraphae. A. Habit. B. Stem article. C. Inflorescence. D. Spikelet. E. Inner bracts in lateral view. F. Inner bracts in dorsal view. G. Middle bracts. H. Outer bracts. I. Calyces. J. Calyx lobes. Illustration by S. Brullo based on living material coming from the type locality (CAT).

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Limonium species in the MalteseArchipelago.Green dots:Limonium melitense; blue dots:Limonium virgatum; purple dots: Limonium zeraphae; red dot: Limonium lanfrancoi. It is based only on examined specimens listed in the paper.