Limonium sougiae Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

60. Limonium sougiae Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 60 )

Type:— GREECE. Crete: Westkreta, Südküste , Soughia , 12 km E Paleohora, Küstenfelsen , schroffes vulkanisches Gestein , 4–6 m, 24 September 1997, Walter s.n. (holotype MSB-139263!, isotype W!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, glauca, 15–25 cm alta, foliis 10–45 × 2–5 mm, anguste oblanceolatis vel anguste obovatis, mucronatis, verrucosis vel subtuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus paucis, tenuibus, laevibus, rugosis vel verrucatis, ramis sterilibus normaliter absentibus, spicis 20–80 mm longis, spiculis 8.3–9.0 mm longis, 1–5-floris, ad 2–3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.0–2.3 × 1.8–2.0 mm, triangulari-ovata, apice obtusa, bractea media 2.5–2.9 × 1.7–2.3 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 6.6–7.1 × 2.8–3.0 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 6.0–7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.5–2.0 mm exserto, tubo glabro vel sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.8 × 0.7 mm, anguste semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15–25 cm tall, with few erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 15–40 mm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper third; living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves fleshy, glaucous, verrucate or tuberculate with some crateriform glands, flat, 10–45 mm long and 2–5 mm broad, small oblanceolate or small obovate, apex acute to round, mucronate, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems slender, 10–30 cm long, smooth to verrucate or sometimes tuberculate with some crateriform glands, glaucous, slightly flexuous, branching frequently begins above lower quarter. Inflorescence trullate or obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches normally absent. Fertile branches 1–5 cm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 30°–45°, only longer branches divided. Spikes 20–80 mm long, straight to curved, erect to directed obliquely upwards. Spikelets 8.3–9.0 mm long, composed of 1–5 flowers, remotely arranged with 2–3 per cm. Outer bract 2.0– 2.3 mm long and 1.8–2.0 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.5–2.9 mm long and 1.7–2.3 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 6.6–7.1 mm long and 2.8–3.0 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 4.8–5.3 mm long and 1.9–2.2 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 1.2–1.4 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.0–7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.5–2.0 mm; calyx tube glabrous or with some short hairs, with 5 ribs ending near the upper margin of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.7 mm, small semi-elliptical. Corolla lilac.

Distribution: —Confined to southwest Crete, around Paleohora ( Fig. 92H ).

Habitat: —Rocky coast.

LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 133 134 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN

Etymology: — L. sougiae is named after Soughia, a locality in southwest Crete where the plant grows.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. sougiae is similar to L. grabusae , but differs from the latter by having smaller leaves and longer spikelets, bracts and calyces. Morphologically, both species are closely related to L. graecum .

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Crete: Westkreta, Paleohora, Hafenbereich , Wegrand , Felsflachküste , auf Sand zwischen den Felsen, 23 September 1997, Walter 2888 (MSB); Creta, costa rocciosa presso Soughia, 29 August 2009, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (CAT) .

Figures

FIGURE 60. Limonium sougiae Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Habit and leaves drawn from “Creta, Soughia, Brullo & Giusso s.n., CAT”, spikelet details from “Westkreta, Südküste, Soughia, J. Walter s.n., MSB”).

FIGURE 92. (Map 7) Geographical distribution of Limonium calliopsium (A); L. carpathum (B); L. chersonesum (C); L. chrisianum (D); L. contractum (E); L. cornarianum (F); L. hierapetrae (G); L. sougiae (H).