Limonium aucheri (Girard) Greuter & Burdet (1989: 39)

Brullo, Salvatore & Erben, Matthias, 2016, The genus Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) in Greece, Phytotaxa 240 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

72. Limonium aucheri (Girard) Greuter & Burdet (1989: 39) ( Fig. 72 )

Basionym:― Statice aucheri Girard (1844: 328) . Type (lectotype, designated here):— GREECE. Cyclades: Ad thermas insulae Cycladum dictae Thermiae anno 1837, Aucher-Eloy 2506 (P-Deless.!, isolectotypes BM!, FI!, FI-WEBB!, G!, G-BOISS!, G-DC!, P!) .

= Statice bellidifolia Sm. in Sibthorp & Smith (1806: 211), nom. illeg. non ( Gouan 1764: 231) DC. in Lamarck & Candolle de (1805: 421) ≡ Limonium ocymifolium subsp. bellidifolium (Sm.) Meikle (1985:1070) . Neotype (here designated):—[Icon] tab. 295 (Sibthorph & Smith 1821).

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10–40 cm tall, with some ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 30–150 mm long, branched and densely spirally leafy in the upper half, living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves herbaceous, green to glaucous, verrucate, flat, 25–70 mm long and 5–10 mm broad, narrowly cuneate-spathulate to spathulate, apex obtuse to rounded, sometimes shortly mucronate, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems slender, 8–35 cm long, rugose, glaucous, more or less flexuous to straight, branching frequently begins above the lower quarter or third, sometimes proliferous. Inflorescence trullate to obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1–4 per stem, 5–30 mm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 2–10 cm long, straight to slightly arched or flexuous, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 20°– 60°, longer branches divided in the upper half. Spikes 20–50 mm long, straight to slightly arched, inserted obliquely to erect. Spikelets 5.5–6.3 mm long, composed of 1–4(–6) flowers, more or less remotely arranged with 1–5 per cm. Outer bract 1.7–2.6 mm long and 1.6–2.7 mm broad, broadly triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 1.7–2.5 mm long and 1.4–2.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded or emarginate. Inner bract 4.3–5.2 mm long and 3.2–3.9 (–4.1) mm broad, obovate, rounded, bract margin more or less broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 3.3–4.4 mm long and 1,7–3.0 mm broad, oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.5–1.0 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 4.3–5.4 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0– 1.8 mm; calyx tube glabrous or sparsely to densely shortly to long hairy, with 5 ribs ending at the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.4 × 0.9 mm, broadly semi-elliptic. Corolla pale pink to pinkish.

Chromosome number: —2n = 43 ( Kouzali & al. 2012, Erben Li–1528, Li–1587, Li–1616, Li–1737, unpubl.).

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

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BRULLO & ERBEN

Distribution: —Very rare in Attika and Peloponnese, frequent on many islands of the central and southern Aegean region: Andros, Crete, Euboea, Kasos, Kythira, Kythnos, Kos, Leros, Liadi, Nisyros, Rhodes, Syros, Yiaros ( Fig. 90A ).

Habitat: —Rocky coast on different substrates and sandy places.

Taxonomic remarks: —In the past L. aucheri was considered as a synonym of L. ocymifolium , but the morphological investigation of the type material has highlighted that L. aucheri is a distinct species. The differential characters are narrower leaves, and shorter spikelets, bracts and calyces. This plant was first described from Rhodes by Smith in Sibthorp & Smith (1806) as Statice bellidifolia , but this is an invalid name since later homonym of a different taxon was validly published by Candolle in Lamarck & Candolle (1805). Concerning the typification, we have been not able to trace orginal material, so we are forced to designated a neotype according to the art. 9.7 of the ICN. We here designated the illustration by Sibthorph & Smith (1821) as neotype of the name Statice bellidifolia . Plants from Rhodes sometimes have longer (up to 5.7 mm long) and broader inner bracts (up to 4.6 mm broad).

Specimens examined: — GREECE. Attica: Insula Raphti, Attica, s.d., D’Urville s.n. (G-BOISS); Athens, May 1819, D’Urville 291 (FI-WEBB); Rivage de l’Attique, 1820, D’Urville 207, (G-DC); Attica ad litore Massytiae, s.d., De Heldreich s.n. (WU).― Euboea: Insula Euboea meridionalis, 5 km a promontorio Kaphireos meridiem versus, 22 June 1958, K. H. Rechinger 19065 (B).— Ionian Islands: Kithira, Feloti Bay, Agh. Pelaghia, presso Chora Kithira, 15 June 2004, Brullo & Musarella s.n. (CAT); Kythira, Avlemonas, ca. 1 km westlich des Ortes, Sandstrand, April 2013, Kocyan s.n. (Herb. Erben).— Peloponnese: Messenia, in maritimis pr. Pedalidi, 1897, Zahn 117 (WU); Messenia propre Petalidi, September 1897, Zahn s.n. (WU).— Cyclades: In ins. Andro ad portum urbis, July 1859, Sartori s.n. (G-BOISS); Andhros island: islet of Makhedona, on maritime rocks, 7 April 1985, R. Artelari & al. 450 (B); Andhros island: Theotokos Vrakhos, 10 April 1985, R. Artelari & al. 452. (B); Andhros island: Stakala Vrakhos near cape Gria, on calcareous rocks, 10 April 1985, R. Artelari 455 (B, M); Andros, Batsi, Akro Kolona, W slope, coastal cliff; sloping plates of schist and marble, 1 July 1998, Mucina LM6562/1 (Herb. Erben = Li–1528, Li–1587); Andros, Batsi Akro Kolana, 30 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Andros, Ormos Korthi Bay, 30 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Costa Nord di Andros, Ormos Atheni, 31 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Yiaros island, on maritime rocks, 14 June 1978, Tzanoudakis 3169 (B); Kythnos, Thermia, June 1830, s.l. (M); In Cycladum insula Cythno, June 1890, De Heldreich s.n. (WU); Isle of Kithnos, Kanthalas (West coast), 5 June 1968, Hansen s.n. (C); Isle of Kithnos, Loutra, 31 May 1968, Hansen s.n. (C); Sorgente termale di Loutra (Kythnos, Cicladi), 1 September 2008, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben = Li–1737); Insula Liadi: In saxosis calc. litoreis, 31 May 1935, K. H. & F. Rechinger 7788 (BM); In Cycladum insula Syros, 29 July 1886, De Heldreich s.n. (WU); Cycladum insula Syros: in saxosis ad litora maris prope Vari, 4 July 1889, De Heldreich 1068 (B, BM, PC, W, WU); Syros, Azolimnos, 9 July 1994, Brullo & Minissale s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben).― Crete: Kreta, Distrikt. Hag.Vassili, Insel Paximadhia (major), 16 May 1904, Doerfler 978 (WU); Creta, Kalathas, rupi calcaree presso Chania, 3 June 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (CAT).— Dodecanese: Insel Strongilo vor der Ostspitze von Kasos, Steilküste und Halophytengebüsch, 5–20 m, 27 May 1983, Raus 8429 (B); Isle of Kos: Mikro Limanaki, Kephalos Peninsula; NW, on coast rocks, 6 May 1976, Hansen 1153 (C, Herb. Greuter); Kos, Kamari, 2 September 1994, Brullo & Scelsi s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Insel Kos, östliche Klippen am Strand von Agios Stefanos, 19 September 1997, S. Schwarz s.n. (Herb. Erben = Li–1616); Sable de Leros, June 1820, D’Urville 145 (G-DC); De Lero, 1822, Olivier s.n. (G-DC); East Aegean Islands, Nisiros, 7 May 1974, Hansen 187 (C); Sables maritimes près Rhodes, 2 July 1870, Bourgeau 139 (BM, G, GOET, K, W); Rodi arene mar. Lungo la via Trianda, 16 July 1912, Vaccari 604 (FI); Rodi Scogliere sotto Alb. Smith, 3 m, 5 August 1923, Fiori s.n. (FI); Insula Rhodos, in saxosis promont. Hag. Georgios ad Monolithos, 20 May 1935, K. H. Rechinger 7403 (BM, G, W); Rhodes, Lardos, 30 April 1967, Hansen s.n. (C); Rhodos, Kolimbia, 20 July 1966, Andersen s.n. (C); Greece, Isl. Rhodes, between Lardos and Genadion, c. 7 km from Lardos, seashore, 1 May 1972, Fagerstén s.n. (Herb. Greuter); Rodi, Vajia, 21August 1989, Brullo & Spampinato s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Rodi, Agios Georgios (Monolithos), 23 August 1989, Brullo & Spampinato s.n. (CAT); Rodi, a N-E della citta di Rodi, costa rocciosa, 27 August 1989, Brullo & Spampinato s.n. (CAT); Rhodos, SW-Teil der Insel, Kap Fourni, Sandstrand und Felsen, Strandfelsen, 8 April 1996, Kalheber 96–307 (Herb. Kalheber); Rodi, Ag. Georgios, presso Monolithos, 1 September 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Rodi, Akr. Phurni, 1 September 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); SW-Rhodos, Apolakhia, verfestigtes Dünengelände, 22 May 2001, R. Franke

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

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s.n. (Herb. Erben); Rhodes, Tsambika, 35SPA30093, 3 m, acantilados marinos calcáreos, 10 September 2011, Crespo & C. Pena (ABH 58288).

Figures

FIGURE 72. Limonium aucheri (Girard) Greuter & Burdet. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaf. (Habit and leaf drawn from “Sorgente termale di Loutra, Kythnos, Brullo & Giusso s.n., Herb. Erben, CAT”, spikelet details from “Kos, Agios Stefanos, S. Schwarz s.n., Herb. Erben”).

FIGURE 90. (Map 5) Geographical distribution of Limonium aucheri (A); L. fragile (B); L. kardamylii (C); L. meandrinum (D); L. messeniacum (E); L. ocymifolium (F); L. thirae (G).