Limonium atticum Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

69. Limonium atticum Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 69 )

Type :― GREECE. Attica: Akr. Kavouri, 26 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (holotype MSB-164026!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, glauca, 20–70 cm alta, foliis 20–50 × 5–12 mm, oblongo-spathulatis ad spathulatis, 1- nerviis, caulibus pluribus, tuberculatis, fragilibus ad nodos, a basi ramosissimis, proliferis, ramis sterilibus pluribus, spicis 1–12 cm longis, spiculis 7.5–8.5 mm longis, 1–4-floris, ad 1–2 (–3) in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.0–3.1 × 1.8–2.7 mm, triangulri-ovata, apice obtusa, bractea media 2.8–3.2 × 1.8–2.2 mm, bractea superiore 6.3–7.2 × 3.3–4.5 mm, oblongo-obovata ad late obovata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 5.5–6.3 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0–2.0 mm exserto, tubo glabro vel sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.4 × 0.8 mm, semi-circularibus.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 20–70 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 5–14 cm, branched, loosely spirally leafy; living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves fleshy, rigid, glaucous, mostly tuberculate with many crateriform glands, 20–50 mm long and 5–12 mm broad, oblong-spathulate to spathulate, apex obtuse to rounded or emarginate, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 20–65 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, sometimes only slightly tuberculate, glaucous, conspicuously flexuous, fragile at nodes, very branched, branching begins near the base of the stems, sometimes proliferous. Inflorescence obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches several to numerous, 1–13 cm long, straight to curved, slightly flexuous, branched or unbranched. Fertile branches 5–25 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, straight to curved, slightly flexuous, directed obliquely upwards to spreading, forming branching angles of 30°–70°, branched. Spikes 10–120 mm long, straight to curved, inserted erect to obliquely upwards; axis of spike with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 7.5–8.5 mm long, composed of 1–4 flowers, remotely arranged with 1–2 (–3) per cm; sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.0– 3.1 mm long and 1.8–2.7 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, tuberculate near the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8–3.2 mm long and 1.8–2.2 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 6.3–7.2 mm long and 3.3–4.5 mm broad, oblong-obovate to broadly obovate, rounded; bract margin membranous; central part fleshy, glaucous, verrucate, 4.5–6.1 mm long and 2.0– 3.2 mm broad, oblong to oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.7–1.3 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.5–6.3 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0–2.0 mm, calyx tube glabrous or with some short hairs, with 5 ribs ending at the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.4 × 0.8 mm, semi-circular.

Distribution: —Sterea Ellas, widespread along the Aegean coast ( Fig. 87B ).

Habitat: —Rocky coast on sandstones, limestones and schists.

Etymology: —The epithet “ atticum ” refers to Attica, the historical name of this region.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. atticum is closely related to L. vravronense . They both have glaucous, widely spathulate leaves, tuberculate with many crateriform glands and long, very branched stems, but L. atticum differs from L. vravronense by having smaller outer bracts and longer and smaller inner bracts.

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Attica: Sunion (Attica, Grecia), August 1932, Regel s.n. (G); In latere merid. promontorii Sounio , sub templo Poseidonis , alt. 20 m, in rupestribus schistosis litoreis, 22 July 1971, Greuter 9461 (Herb. Greuter); Kap Sunion, Sandsteinfelsen am Meer , 19 August 1973, I. Müller s.n. (Herb. Erben); Saronischer Golf, Insel Angistri , südwestlicher Rand des Ortes Angistri , 2–15 m, antiker Steinbruch, 25 May 2000, Kalheber 00–937 (Herb. Kalheber); Legrena Bay , 27 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Agios Dimitrios, 27 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Laurion, 27 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Akro Sounio, 27 August 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben) .— Saronic Island: Saronischer Golf, Insel Angistri , Küste zwischen Metochi Skala und Angistri, 0–5 m, Strand, Felsplatten, 25 May 2000, Kalheber 00–959 (Herb. Kalheber) .

152 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 153

Figures

FIGURE 69. Limonium atticum Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaf. (Drawn from “Attica, Akr. Kavouri, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 87. (Map 2) Geographical distribution of Limonium corinthiacum (A); L. atticum (B); L. athinense (C); L. frederici (D); L. archaeothirae (E); L. saracinatum (F); L. pylium (G); L. xiliense (H); L. recticaule (I); L. graecum (J); L. pusillum (K).