Limonium xiliense Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

56. Limonium xiliense Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 56 )

Type :— GREECE. Peloponnese: Peloponneso, Akr. Archangelos (Elika), 3 September 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (holotype MSB-164244!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 15–45 cm alta, foliis 12–45 × 1–3 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, retusis, tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulis numerosis, leviter tuberculatis, proliferis, ramis sterilibus solo 1–4 per caulem, spicis 3–12 cm longis, spiculis 8.0– 9.5 mm longis, 1–3-floris, ad 1–3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.6–3.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, bractea media 2.8–3.5 × 1.8–2.2 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 6.6–7.6 × 3.6–4.1 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 6.2–7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0– 1.5 mm exserto, tubo glabro, lobis calycis ca. 0.8 × 0.9 mm, anguste semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15–45 cm tall, with several to many erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 15–40 mm long, branched; living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves fleshy, grey-green, v-shaped in cross-section, on both sides tuberculate with crateriform glands, 12–45 mm long and 1–3 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex obtuse, retuse, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 12–45 cm long, flexuous, grey-green, more or less slightly tuberculate with crateriform glands, constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems, sometimes proliferating in axils. Inflorescence obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches only 1–4 per stem, 0.5–5.0 cm long, straight, verrucate, undivided or loosely branched. Fertile branches 3–20 cm long, slightly tuberculate with crateriform glands, more or less straight, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 25°–40°, branched. Spikes 3–12 cm long, straight, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with some crateriform glands. Spikelets 8.0– 9.5 mm long, composed of 1–3 flowers, remotely arranged with 1–3 per cm. Outer bract 2.6–3.2 mm long and 1.8–2.1 mm broad, narrowly triangular-ovate, acute to obtuse; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8–3.5 mm long and 1.8–2.2 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 6.6–7.6 mm long and 3.6–4.1 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.0– 5.7 mm long and 2.5–2.7 mm broad, oblong to oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 1.3–1.5 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.2–7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0– 1.5 mm; calyx tube glabrous, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.9 mm, more or less narrowly semi-elliptic. Corolla lilac.

Distribution: —Restricted to the southern Peloponnese, between Elea and Archangelos ( Fig. 87H ).

Habitat: —Calcareous rocky coast.

Etymology: —The epithet “ xiliense ” refers to Ormos Xilis, a gulf on the southern Peloponnese.

Taxonomic remarks: —The long, erect, unbranched stems lend L. xiliense a similar appearance to L. kardamylii , but it differs from the latter by having narrow leaves of a different colour, plant surfaces tuberculate with crateriform glands, and having longer bracts and calyces. L. xiliense is related to L. elaphonisicum , from which it differs by having shorter inner bracts and longer calyces. The plants from around Elea sometimes have smaller spikelets, and shorter inner bracts and calyces.

Specimens examined (Paratypes): — GREECE. Peloponnese: Peloponneso, Plitra (Molai), 4 September 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben); Peloponneso, Elea (Molai), 4 September 2002, Brullo & Sciandrello s.n. (CAT, Herb. Erben) .

Figures

FIGURE 56. Limonium xiliense Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Peloponneso, Akr. Archangelos (Elika), 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).