Centaurea triniifolia Heuff. subsp. campylacme (Bornm.) Wagenitz

Wagenitz, Gerhard, Bergmeier, Erwin, Gregor, Thomas, Meierott, Lenz, Shuka, Lulezim & Tan, Kit, 2018, A synopsis of the Centaurea soskae and triniifolia group (Centaurea sect. Acrolophus) in the Prespa area and Northern Pindos, Phytotaxa 348 (2), pp. 77-89 : 85

4. Centaurea triniifolia Heuff. subsp. campylacme (Bornm.) Wagenitz , comb. & stat. nov. ( Figs. 1‒2 , 6 & 9 ).

Centaurea campylacme Bornmüller (1921: 459) .

Type:—FYR MACEDONIA. Veles, in rupibus faucium fluvii Topolka, 200 m, 16 May 1917, Bornmüller 1917: 1342 ( B!, lectotype designated here). http://ww2.bgbm.org/Herbarium/specimen.cfm?Barcode= B 100088321

Herbaceous perennial woody at base. Stems divaricately branched above, green, rarely greyish-tomentose. Leaf segments less than 2 mm broad. Capitula narrowly ovoid; appendages dark brown, triangular, ending in a terminal spinule equalling or shorter than the lateral cilia. Florets pinkish-purple. Achenes puberulent; pappus subequalling achene. Existing also as a white-flowered form, with 8‒10 individuals in a population.

Crevices of northwest- and northeast-facing cliff faces and stony ground at the base of the calcareous slopes at the edge of both Prespa lakes. Flowering and fruiting June and July.

The type subspecies C. triniifolia subsp. triniifolia has relatively broad capitula, with the appendages a nearly equilateral triangle. According to GW, this subspecies is more northerly distributed in the Balkan Peninsula and well represented by photos from the “Iron Gate area”, http://www.floraofromania.transsilvanica.net/flora%20of%20romania/ centaurea/ Centaurea_triniifolia _Heuffel.htm.

We have not seen material in the Prespa area which matches the description of this subspecies which seems to have much dissected, subglabrous, green basal leaves. Material collected by A. Schuler was examined by GW who suggested its possible novelty. It was regarded by Tan & al. (2007) as a pink-flowered variant of the normally yellowflowered C. prespana (= C. soskae subsp. soskae ) as both taxa have many features in common.

At Psarades, C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme grows together with Alyssum cf. murale , Clematis vitalba , Convolvulus elegantissimus , Erodium cicutarium , Festuca valesiaca , Geranium purpureum , Melica cf. transsilvanica , Micromeria juliana , Petrorhagia illyrica , Sedum acre ; Campanula versicolor is in close vicinity. Associated species in the cliff near Koula include Anthemis cretica , Asperula aristata , Aurinia saxatilis subsp. orientalis , Campanula versicolor , Cephalaria ambrosioides , Erodium guicciardii , Galium cf. speciosum , Hippocrepis emerus subsp. emeroides , Silene parnassica subsp. serbica and Verbascum graecum .

Specimens cited

ALBANIA. Korça district: calcareous rocky cliffs of the Gollomboçi Peninsula at Lake Megali Prespa , 7–15 m above the lake shore, 848 m, 40°51’N, 20°57’E, 18 July 2012, Shuka s.n. ( TIR!) ; loc. ibid., 24 June 2017, Shuka s.n. ( TIR!) ; calcareous rocky cliffs above lake shore of Mikri Prespa , 900‒940 m, 40°41’N, 20°59’E, 13 June 2016, Kit Tan, G. Vold & Shuka 32109 ( ATH!, C!, GOET!, LD!, TIR!) .

GREECE. Nomos & Eparchia Florinis: near the village of Psarades , limestone cliffs, 860 m, 40°50’N, 21°02’E, 8 June 2000, Schuler 00/156 ( C!, private herbarium Schuler, sub nom. Centaurea attica ) ; loc. ibid., 15 July 2006, Schuler 2048 (private herbarium Kit!) ; loc. ibid., 3 July 2013, Gregor 10567, 10569 & 10570 & Meierott (all in FR! 10567 also in GOET!) ; loc. ibid., Meierott 2013/501‒504 & Gregor (all in M!) ; Meierott 2013/501, 502 and 505 & Gregor (all in GOET!) ; isthmus between Megali and Mikri Prespa , near frontier post of Koula, 855 m, 40°49’N, 21°05’E, 15 July 2006, Schuler 2049 (private herbarium Strid!) ; loc. ibid., D. Häckel & Schuler 152 ( GB!) ; loc. ibid., 5 June 2017, Bergmeier 17-149 (private herbarium Bergmeier) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Capitula of Centaurea taxa: a, C. soskae subsp. soskae; b, C. s. subsp. aetiensis; c, C. s. subsp. albida; d, C. tomorosii; e, C. galicicae; f, C. soskae subsp. albida × C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme; g, C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme; h, C. t. subsp. campylacme (white form); i, C. shumkana.

FIGURE 2. Achenes of Centaurea taxa: a, C. soskae subsp. soskae; b, C. s. subsp. aetiensis; c, C. s. subsp. albida; d, C. tomorosii; e, C. galicicae; f, C. soskae subsp. albida × C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme; g, C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme; h, C. grisebachii; i, C. shumkana.

FIGURE 6. Centaurea triniifolia subsp. campylacme from Albania (Kit Tan, G. Vold & Shuka 32109 at C).

FIGURE 9. Distribution map: a, Centaurea soskae ● C. tomorosii ■; b, C. galicicae ● C. triniifolia subsp. campylacme ■ C. shumkana ♦.