Aerva Forssk., Fl.

Hassan, Walaa A., Al-Shaye, Najla A. & Iamonico, Duilio, 2023, A critical inventory of the family Amaranthaceae s. str. in Saudi Arabia, Phytotaxa 626 (4), pp. 223-246 : 229

2. Aerva Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: 170. 1775.

Type ( Forsskål 1775: 170): — Aerva tomentosa Forssk. [= Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. ; see Iamonico & Friis 2017: 1209–1210].

2.1. Aerva boveii (Webb) Edgew., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 6: 206. 1862 ≡ Aerva javanica var. bovei Webb , in W.J.Hooker, Niger Fl.: 173. 1849.

Lectotype (designated here): — EGYPT. Kenné , in desertis, september 1826, Sieber s.n. (FI011269!, image of the lectotype available at https://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.fi011269).

Typification of Aerva javanica var. bovei :— Webb (1849: 173) published the var. bovei to distinguish forms of Aerva javanica with leaves narrower (“foliis lineari-lanceolatis”) and flowers smaller (“floribus minoribus”); two syntypes were also cited (“Habitat in Arabiae mente Sinai (Bové), Kenneé in desertis, (Sieber.)”, both referring to Egypt. We traced these syntypes at FI [FI011268 (Bové ’s specimen; image available at https://plants.jstor.org/stable/ viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.fi011268) and FI011269 (Sieber ’s specimen)]. Since FI011269 includes more leaves and flowers which features are important in the identification of Aerva javanica s.l., we designate it as the lectotype of the name Aerva javanica var. bovei . FI011268 remains a syntype.

Notes:― Var. bovei is recognized by POWO (2023) as originally proposed by Webb (1849: 173). However, as shown by Thin et al. (2006), Webb’s taxon forms a well supported clade sister to Aerva javanica (bootstrap: 100%). Accordingly, we here recognize Webb’s var. bovei at species rank.

Chorology:― Native to an area ranging from the Sahara region to north-western India ( POWO 2023).

Occurrence in Saudi Arabia :― Aerva bovei is not reported to occur in Saudi Arabia by POWO (2023). However, Chaudhary (1998: 240) stated that “It [ Aerva javanica ] is found as two varieties in Saudi Arabia − the more common var. javanica and the var. bovei Webb (1849) ”. Unfortunately, he did not specify any locality in which var. bovei occurs. Our findings confirm the presence of this taxon in Saudi Arabia at Makkah. Miller & Cope (1996) recorded the species at Tabuk, Al-Madinh, and Makkah.

Specimina visa selecta:— SAUDI ARABIA . Riyadh, Yarmok , 26 june 2016, leg. Mohamed 3985 det. Alshaye & Thomas (PNUH!) ; Jazan, 12 february 2016, Mohamed 3832 (PNUH!) ; Haʼil, 24 september 2008, leg. Alrashedy 854 det. Alshaye & Thomas (PNUH!); Taif , 24 september 2008, leg. Alharby 1083 det. Alshaye & Thomas (PNUH!) ; Arabia (s.l.), 1866, Fischer 6 ( BR0000013457259 !) ; Jeddah, Ad colles sabulosis visternarum Geddae, s.d., Fischer 14 (M0241440!) ; Makkah, In arvis et sabulosis vallis Fatme, s.d., Fischer 13 (M0241439!) .