Callitriche brutia Petagna (1787: 10)

Lansdown, Richard V., Rhazi, Laila, Saber, Er-Riyahi, Madihi, Mohammed El & Grillas, Patrick, 2022, The genus Callitriche (Plantaginaceae, Callitricheae) in Morocco, Phytotaxa 555 (1), pp. 53-72 : 55-58

1. Callitriche brutia Petagna (1787: 10)

Type: — ITALY. Calabria. Ex herb. Petagna (lectotype [designated by Schotsman (1967: 84)] FI) .

1a. Callitriche brutia subsp. brutia

Distribution: — Callitriche brutia subsp. brutia occurs from Ireland and the Faroe Islands south to Morocco and east throughout much of Europe to Iran and the Caucasus ( Lansdown 2008). It also occurs as a non-native in Australia and New Zealand ( Lansdown 2022). In Morocco it is widespread from Marrakesh north through the Middle (Moyen) Atlas to the coast and north to Tangiers ( Fig. 1A ).

Habitat and ecology: —Throughout its range, C. brutia subsp. brutia is a characteristic species of seasonal wetlands and the draw-down zones of large standing water bodies. In Morocco it has been recorded from dayas (seasonal pools), the muddy margins of streams, and the draw-down zone of a reservoir in the High Atlas. Elevation in Morocco: 0–2620 m.

Recognition: — Callitriche brutia subsp. brutia can be distinguished from other Callitriche species recorded from Morocco, except C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi ( Warburg & Eig 1929: 84) Prančl in Prančl et al. (2020: 1036), by the combination of the strongly reflexed style, which is ultimately appressed to the mature fruit, and the connate leaf bases. It can be distinguished from C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi by the ± isodiametric fruit that have a smooth wing.

Illustrations: —Figures in Lansdown (2008: 132–135).

Specimens examined: — MOROCCO: Stream by the road between Khenitra and Kasbah Jadla, 18 April 1936, N.D. Simpson 36.894 ( BM). By reservoir, ski resort of Oukaïmeden, High Atlas, S. from Marrakech, 2620 m, 27 July 1997, S.L. Jury, S.C. Darwan, A.J.K. Griffiths, M. Redjali 18280 ( RNG 13373) .

Field records: —Mares temporaires d’Azrou et de Timahdite dans le Moyen Atlas, 11 April 2016, L. Rhazi, M. Rhazi, M. El Madihi, M. van den Broeck, E. Saber.

1b. Callitriche brutia subsp. naftolskyi ( Warburg & Eig 1929: 84) Prančl in Prančl et al. (2020: 1036)

Type: — ISRAEL. Sharon Plain , north-east of Tel Aviv, 23 Apr 1927, Naftolsky 01853 (lectotype [designated by Lansdown et al. (2017: 92)] HUJ) .

Distribution: — Callitriche brutia subsp. naftolskyi is endemic to but widespread within the Mediterranean basin, occurring on larger islands and mainland North Africa, from Morocco through Libya to Israel and Syria ( Lansdown et al. 2017) and has recently been reported from mainland Spain ( Prančl et al. 2020). In Morocco it is frequent around Rabat, in the Central Plateau and Middle Atlas ( Fig. 1B ), but is almost certainly under-recorded.

Habitat and ecology: — Callitriche brutia subsp. naftolskyi is a characteristic plant of seasonal pools. In Morocco it has been recorded from seasonal pools in pasture and arable land, the bed of an oued (seasonal stream), and from cupular pools in granite. It has been recorded with a wide range of species, of which 22% can be described as true aquatics, 44% as more characteristic of wetland margins or seasonal wetlands, and 33% as terrestrials that grow in wetlands once they have dried out. This reflects the affinity of this taxon with seasonally wet habitats, rather than permanent water. Typical associates include species that are more frequent in permanent wetlands, but can tolerate periods when they dry out, such as Callitriche stagnalis , Elatine hydropiper von Linné (1753: 367) , Eleocharis palustris Roemer & Schultes (1817: 151) , and Ranunculus peltatus Schrank (1789: 103) , as well as a range of species typically found in seasonal wetlands, such as Callitriche mathezii , C. regis-jubae , Eryngium atlanticum Battandier & Pitard in Pitard (1912: 45), small Juncus species such as J. bufonius von Linné (1753: 328) , J. capitatus Weigel (1772: 28) , J. pygmaeus Rich. ex Thuillier (1799: 178) , and J. tenageia Ehrh. ex von Linné (1781: 208) , small Lythrum species such as L. borysthenicum (M.Bieb. ex Schrank 1822: 643) Litvinov (1917: 209) , L. hyssopifolia von Linné (1753: 447) , L. junceum Banks ex Sol. in Russell & Russell (1794: 253), L. portula Webb (1967: 13) , L. thymifolia von Linné (1753: 447) , and L. tribracteatum Salzm. ex Sprengel (1827: 190) , Marsilea strigosa Willdenow (1810: 539) , Pilularia minuta Durieu in Bory & Durieu (1848: plate 38, figs. 120), Ranunculus ophioglossifolius Villars (1789: 731) , and the chlorophyte Botrydium granulatum ( von Linné 1753: 1164) Greville (1830: 69) , which colonises bare mud as water levels recede. Elevation in Morocco: 0–1487 m.

Notes: —Until recently C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi was poorly-known and understood, however it has been shown to be relatively abundant in the southern Mediterranean ( Lansdown et al. 2017) and is particularly so in Morocco. Callitriche brutia is probably the most widespread and abundant member of the genus in Morocco and most records appear to involve C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi . In contrast, C. brutia subsp. brutia is at the southern limit of its range in Morocco and is much less frequent here than in areas such as the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Italy.

Recognition: — Callitriche brutia subsp. naftolskyi can be distinguished from other Callitriche species recorded from Morocco, except C. brutia subsp. brutia , by the combination of the strongly reflexed style, which is ultimately appressed to the mature fruit, and the connate leaf bases. C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi can be distinguished from C. brutia subsp. brutia by the fruit that are wider than long, and that have an irregular or wavy wing.

Illustrations: —Plates in Lansdown et al. (2017: 95–96).

Specimens examined: — MOROCCO: Daya au sud de Marchaud (Benslimane), 45 m, 28 April 1927, E. Jahandiez 35 ( BM) . Daya à l’W de la route Chemmaiya-Chichaoua au N. de Bled Haroussia, 6 March 1956, Nègre 4876 rel. à 2363 ( RAB) . S of Rabat, wet grassland, 7 April 2010, G. Pils s.n. (herb G. Pils). Mare de Tiflet , 381 m altitude, 28 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks s.n. ( RAB) . Large seasonal pool near Oulmès, 1170 m, 28 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks s.n. ( RAB) .

Field records: —Stream upstream of the dam, 28 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks. Seasonal stream near Oulmès, 1170 m alt, 28 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks. Small pool in arable, 1169 m, 28 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks. Wetland complex at Mante, 1163 m, 30 April 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks. Akzou,, 1487 m, 1 May 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks. Cupular pools on an outcrop near Akzou, 1171 m, 1 May 2019, R.V. Lansdown, L. Rhazi, P. Grillas, M. El Madihi, J. Snoeks.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Known distribution of Callitriche spp. in Morocco. A. C. brutia subsp. brutia, with insert map showing the position of Morocco in northwestern Africa. B. C. brutia subsp. naftolskyi. C. C. cribrosa. D. C. lusitanica.