Limonium dolihiense Erben & Brullo, 2016

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

16. Limonium dolihiense Erben & Brullo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 16 )

Type:— GREECE. Eastern Aegean Islands: Ikaria, Kampos (litorale scistoso), 29 August 2003, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-165819!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!) .

Diagnosis: — Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 20–35 cm alta, foliis, 15–30 × 2–4 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, uncinatis, tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, tuberculatis, proliferis, ramis sterilibus pluribus, spicis 20–150 mm longis, spiculis 8.5–9.5 mm longis, 1–3-floris, ad 1–4 in 2 centimetris dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.4–2.6 × 2.3–2.5 mm, triangulari-ovata, pilosa, bractea media 2.8–3.1 × 1.9–2.1 mm, elliptica, bractea superiore 6.6–6.9 × 4.1–4.3 mm, obovata, margine late membranaceo, in tertia parte superiore pilosa, calyce 6.0– 6.5 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 2.5–3.0 mm exserto, tubo glabro vel sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.7 × 0.8 mm, semi-ellipticis.

Description: —Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 20–35 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 4–8 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper third; living leaves in rosettes at apices. Leaves fleshy, grey-green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, tuberculate with many crateriform glands or with many crescent-shaped glands, 15–30 mm long and 2–4 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex obtuse to acute, hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 15–30 cm long, more or less flexuous, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems; sometimes proliferating in axils. Sterile branches several, 1–6 cm long, straight, normally undivided, verrucate. Fertile branches 4–17 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, constricted at nodes, straight, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 40°–60°, normally unbranched. Spikes 20–150 mm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 8.5–9.5 mm long, composed of 1–3 flowers, very remotely arranged with 1–4 per 2 cm. Outer bract 2.4–2.6 mm long and 2.3–2.5 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only at the base, with many short hairs, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8–3.1 mm long and 1.9–2.1 mm broad, elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 6.6–6.9 mm long and 4.1–4.3 mm broad, obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous, in the upper third with many short hairs; central part fleshy, 4.7–4.9 mm long and 2.7–2.9 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.9–1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.0– 6.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 2.5–3.0 mm; calyx tube glabrous or with few short hairs near the base, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.7 × 0.8 mm, semi-elliptical. Corolla lilac.

Distribution: —Restricted to the island of Ikaria, where it grows on the northern coast, near Kampos ( Fig. 88M ).

54 • Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press

BRULLO & ERBEN LIMONIUM (PLUMBAGINACEAE)

Phytotaxa 240 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 55

Habitat: —Schistose rocky coast.

Etymology: — L. dolihiense is named after Dolihi, the old name of the island Ikaria.

Taxonomic remarks: — L. dolihiense is related to L. athinense and L. fragile , but it differs from both by having longer spikelets, longer, broader and hairy inner bracts and longer calyces.

Specimens examined: —See types.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Limonium dolihiense Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Ikaria, Kampos, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).

FIGURE 88. (Map 3) Geographical distribution of Limonium amopicum (A); L. doerfleri (B); L. ikaricum (C); L. elaphonisicum (D); L. creticum (E); L. damboldtianum (F); L. astypaleanum (G); L. glomeratum (H); L. grabusae (I); L. isidorum (J); L. cythereum (K); L. kirikosicum (L); L. dolihiense (M); L. minoicum (N).