Limonium croaticum Bogdanović & Brullo, 2015

Bogdanović, Sandro & Brullo, Salvatore, 2015, Taxonomic revision of the Limonium cancellatum group (Plumbaginaceae) in Croatia, Phytotaxa 215 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

5. Limonium croaticum Bogdanović & Brullo , sp. nov.

Type: — CROATIA. Northern Dalmatia: Isola di Ugljan, Mala Lamjana, Dalmazia , 27 August 2006, Liber s.n. (holotype CAT!; isotypes: CAT!, ZAGR!) ( Figs. 6 , 35 ) .

Diagnosis: — Planta dense pubescens , dense foliosa apice caudicularum, foliis spathulatis, retusis apice, revolutis margine, 1-nervis, scapis plurimis, prostratis vel adscendentibus, ramis sterilibus numerosis, inflorescentia reticulata, ramosa, spicis rectis ad curvatis, bractea inferiore ovato-triangulari, acuta, bractea superiore oblongo-ovata, obtusa, calice tubo dense piloso, lobis hemiellipticis, obtusis.

Description: —Plant perennial, 10–20 cm tall, densely pubescent (hairs 0.05–0.1 mm long), with robust tap-root. Caudices branched, 1–5 cm long, and covered by leaves in the upper part. Leaves rigid, rugose, densely

14 • Phytotaxa 215 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

BOGDANOVIĆ & BRULLO pubescent, green, 7–30 mm long, 1–6 mm wide, spathulate, retuse at the apex, revolute at the margin, 1-nerved, gradually tapering into a long petiole. Stems numerous, prostrate to ascending, rugose, with numerous sterile branches, flexuous, fragile at nodes, very branched, diverging at the angle of 60–180°, internodes 3–10 mm long, right to curved. Inflorescence reticulate, branched from the base; spikes 7–30 mm long, straight to curved. Spikelets 5.5–6 mm long, 2–3 flowered, 4–6 per cm; outer bract 1–1.6 mm long, 1.2–1.8 mm wide, triangular-ovate, acute, with margin narrowly membranous, partially hairy, and central part fleshy, densely hairy, shortly apiculate; middle bract 1.5–1.8 mm long, 1.2–1.6 mm wide, triangular-ovate, obtuse at the apex, membranous, hairy in the central part and veins; inner bract 3–4 mm long, 2.2–2.7 mm wide, oblong-ovate, obtuse, with margin membranous, glabrous, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, and central part fleshy, densely hairy, 1.5–2.2 mm wide, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.6–0.9 mm long, almost reaching the upper margin. Calyx 3.5–4.5 mm long, exserted 2–2.5 mm from the inner bract, tube densely hairy, with 5 totally hairy ribs, reaching the middle part of the lobes; calyx lobes 0.8–1 × 0.8–1 mm, hemielliptical, obtuse. Corolla lilac.

Etymology: —The epithet is named after Croatia.

Distribution and ecology: —This species has been collected in some calcareous islands of North Dalmatia, as Ugljan, Kaprije and Rab, but probably it occurs in some other neighbouring islands ( Fig. 28E ). It grows along the narrow costal belt between the shoreline and the maquis, in halophilous community.

Additional specimens examined (Paratype): — CROATIA. Northern Dalmatia: Isola di Kaprije, arcipelago di Šibenik, Dalmazia , 10 August 2005, NikoliĆ s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!) ; Isola di Rab , cala di Frkanj, nord Dalmazia, 1 August 2005, BogdanoviĆ s.n. ( CAT!, ZAGR!) ; Dalmatien, Scoglio “Dolin” bei Arbe, Spritzzone an der Pta. Dolin , 28 May 1912, Morton 889 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Flyschfelsen bei der Pta. Stolac (Halbins. Loparo), 5 January 1913, Morton 316 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Nordostabsturz der Tignarossa: Felsenheide östlich von Spez. –Kastenguste 408, 30 May 1912, Morton 887 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Spritzzone am Nordende der Insel, 20 April 1912, Morton 890 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Nordostabsturz der Tignarossa: Kalkfelsen Herbulb der Seg. Njivica, 26 July 1912, Morton 313 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Nordostabsturz der Tignarossa: Ober dem Seg. Njivica, 30 May 1912, Morton 317 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Spritzzone an der Pta. Gavranica , 4 January 1913, Morton 315 ( WU!) ; Insel Arbe, Spritzzone an der Westküste der Insel in der Valle Malovica , 18 July 1911, Morton 891 ( WU!) ; Rab, zaljev Sv. Eufemije, July 1940, Domac s.n. ( ZA!) ; Insel Kaprije beim, Brackwasserzone beim Ort Kaprije, Cult. 10 August 1976, Wanner s.n. (M!); Dalmatien, Insel Smokvica Vela, Südseite, 30 September 1982, cult., Wanner s.n. (M!).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Limonium croaticum. A. Inflorescence branches. B. Spikelets. C. Outer bracts. D. Middle bracts. E. Inner bract (lateral view). F. Inner bracts (dorsal view). G. Calyces. H. Calyx lobes. I. Leaves. J. Leaf indumentum (adaxial face). K. Leaf indumentum (abaxial face) (Illustration by Salvatore Brullo based on Liber s.n.. type CAT).

FIGURE 28. Geographical distribution of Limonium cancellatum (A). L. istriacum (B). L. lovricii (C). L. liburnicum (D). L. croaticum (E) and L. liberianum (F).

FIGURE 35. Habit of Limonium croaticum from holotype. Liber s.n. (CAT).