Euphorbia montenegrina (Bald.) K.Malý

Caković, Danka, Cresti, Leonardo, Stešević, Danijela, Schönswetter, Peter & Frajman, Božo, 2021, High genetic and morphological diversification of the Euphorbia verrucosa alliance (Euphorbiaceae) in the Balkan and Iberian peninsulas, TAXON 70 (2), pp. 286-307 : 302

Euphorbia montenegrina (Bald.) K.Malý

in Glasn. Zemaljsk. Muz. Bosni Hercegovini 20: 556. 1908

≡ E. verrucosa var. montenegrina Bald. in Mem. Reale Accad. Sci. Ist. Bologna, ser. 5, 9: 38. 1900 ≡ Tithymalus montenegrinus (Bald.) Soják in Čas. Nár. Mus., Odd. Přír. 140: 174. 1972 –

Lectotype (designated here): [ Montenegro, Iter Albanicum (Montenegrinum) sextum], “In reg. fagi m. Balj supra Andrijevica distr. Vasojevići”, 24 Jul 1898, A. Baldacci 383 ( WU No. 4498! ; isolectotypes: not tracked, possibly at several herbaria).

= Euphorbia epithymoides var. serratifolia Rohlena in Sitzungsber. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss., Math.- Naturwiss. Cl. 28(17): 55. 1903 (“1904”) – Type material cited in the protologue: [ Montenegro], “Felsige Abhänge des Durmitor oberhalb Crno jezero, c. 2000 m ”, J. Rohlena s.n.

= Euphorbia montenegrina var. bertiscea Rech.f. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 38: 374. 1935 – Lectotype (designated here): [ Kosovo, Rechinger fil. et. Scheffer: Iter Balcanicum 1933], “BERTISCUS (Alpes boreales albanicae): In valle rivuli Do[e!]cˇanska Bistrica, Ad casam Kurvala, alt. 1600 m, substr. serpentin.”, 17–19 Jul 1933, K.H. Rechinger 1116 (G barcode G0039033! [two sheets]).

Notes. – Additional original material of Euphorbia montenegrina var. bertiscea cited in the protologue: [ Montenegro, Rechinger fil. et. Scheffer: Iter Balcanicum 1933], “BERTISCUS (Alpes boreales albanicae): prope Pagum Gusinje, In monte Greben, in rupestribus, alt. ca. 1700 m, substr. calc.”, 25–26 Jul 1933, Scheffer s.n. (G barcode G0039034). Euphorbia montenegrina var. bertiscea should differ from the type variety in being more densely hairy and in having longer and more coarsely dentate leaves. However, all these characters are very variable within E. montenegrina and do not merit taxonomic recognition.

Description. – Glabrescent to pubescent perennial, (10) 18–45.8(52.8) cm tall, with several stems (16.8)18.8–43.0 (48.3) cm high and (1.5) 2–3 mm thick, arising from a woody stock. Middle stem leaves elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, (14.0) 14.6–30.5(37.5) × (7.3)7.5–12.7(13.2) mm, (1.3)1.5–3.0(3.1) times longer than wide, widest at (0.3)0.4–0.6 of the length, with an attenuate basis and an acute apex with the tip angle 50–125 (128) Ǫ. Leaf margin coarsly serrulate with 3–20(22) teeth along a 5 mm section just below the tip; the teeth (0.07)0.08–0.27 (0.3) mm long and (0.11)0.13–0.36(0.46) mm wide at the base. Leaves glabrous or rarely hairy with 0–5(6) hairs in 1 mm 2 at the upper surface of the distal half of the leaf. Terminal rays five, rarely three, four or six, (4.3)5.6–33(34.5) mm long, 1 time dichotomous, 0.3–1.7(1.8) times longer than ray leaves. Ray leaves suborbicular, (10.9)13.3–23.1(24.6) × (8.1)8.2–15(17.3) mm, (1.2)1.3–1.8(1.9) times longer than wide, widest at 0.4–0.6 of the length, attenuate at the basis with an acute apex with the tip angle (60)62–106(111) Ǫ. Raylet leaves elliptic-ovate, (7.7) 7.9–14.1(15.3) × (4.4)4.8–10.2(10.7) mm, 1.1–1.8(1.9) times longer than wide, widest at 0.5–0.6 of the length with a rounded basis and an obtuse, rarely acute apex with the tip angle (95)103–170(199) Ǫ. Cyathial involucre campanulate, (1.5) 1.6–3.9(4.0) × (1.4)1.5–2.5(2.6) mm, (0.9)1–2 times longer than wide, with transversely elliptic glands (0.4)0.5–1(1.2) × (0.8)0.9–1.8(2) mm, (0.3)0.4–0.7(0.8) times longer than wide. Capsule subglobose, shallowly trilobate, (1.6)1.8–3.8(4.4) × 1.7–4.1(4.6) mm, (0.7)0.9–1.1(1.2) times longer than wide, widest at (0.3)0.4–0.6(0.7) of the length, with warts 0.2–1.1 (1.3) × (0.07)0.1–0.3(0.4) mm, (1.2)1.4–6.0(13) times longer than wide, widest at 0–0.7(0.9) of the length. Style (0.4)0.5–1 (1.2) mm long. Seeds ovoid-ellipsoid to ellipsoid, smooth, greyish, 1.7–2.4 × (1.5)1.7–2(2.3) mm, 1–1.3(1.4) times longer than wide, widest at (0.3)0.4–0.5(0.6) of the length. Caruncle kidney-shaped, 0.4–0.7(0.8) × (0.6)0.7–1.0(1.2) mm, 0.5–0.7 (0.9) times longer than wide and widest at (0.2)0.3–0.7(0.8) of the length. 2 n = 14, 28.

Distribution. – Central and southern Balkan Peninsula ( Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece).

Habitat. – Mesic mountain meadows from 1200 to 2250 m, mostly over limestone.