Phelipanche cernua Pomel (1874: 105)

Piwowarczyk, Renata, Pedraja, Óscar Sánchez, Moral, Gonzalo Moreno, Fayvush, George, Zakaryan, Narine, Kartashyan, Nune & Aleksanyan, Alla, 2019, Holoparasitic Orobanchaceae (Cistanche, Diphelypaea, Orobanche, Phelipanche) in Armenia: distribution, habitats, host range and taxonomic problems, Phytotaxa 386 (1), pp. 1-106 : 40-42

12. Phelipanche cernua Pomel (1874: 105) . Type:— ALGERIA (lectotype designated by Carlón et al. 2013): 1. “ Phelybanche cernua Pom / G. Rouban [m. Pomel]”; 2. “Université d Alger / Herbier del’Afrique du Nord / Orobanche lavandulacea Rchb. / ssp. Fraasii (Walp.) / = Phelipaea Fraasii Walp. / = Phelipaea cernua Pomel ! (Type!) / O[ran]. Ghar Rouban / leg. A.Pomel [m. Maire]” (MPU-008206-hb.Pomel![the sheet contains only one specimen]).Heterotypic synonym:— Phelipanche inexspectata Carlón, G. Gómez, M. Laínz, Moreno Moral, Ó. Sánchez & Schneeweiss (2005: 16) . Fig. 27 .

Distribution: —In the southeastern part of Armenia (Syunik province, Meghri and Zangezur mountain ranges) ( Fig. 28).

General distribution: —Mediterranean Region ( Italy, Algeria, France, Morocco and Spain), as well as Azerbaijan (see notes below), and our recent discoveries in Armenia, Aleppo in Syria (P04243518!, P04243519!) and, perhaps, also in Chatyr-Dah (Crimean Peninsula), this location needs to be confirmed.

Habitat: —Rocky and loamy slopes, roadsides, (900)1400‒1900(2000) m.

Hosts: —Apparently only parasitic on Asteraceae , exlusively Lactuca sp. , mainly L. viminea (L.) J. Presl & C. Presl. In Armenia on L. quercina subsp. wilhelmsiana (DC.) Feráková [ L. wilhemsiana DC. ].

Phenology: —Flowering end of May–June (July), fruiting July–August.

Conservation status: —Endangered (EN) – B 1 ab (iii) + 2 ab (iii). EOO is less than 5000 km 2, severely fragmented, existing at no more than 10 locations (3 locations in 2 floristic regions), AOO is less than 500 km 2, severely fragmented, existing at no more than 10 locations. Populations consist usually of more than 5 shoots up to 30. Two subpopulations grow in the Arevik National Park and Shikaghoh State Reserve. Limiting factors are restricted EOO and AOO.

Notes: —Sometimes, at the same locality, it can co-exist with Orobanche grenieri , also a parasite of Lactuca sp. , as it was shown in our observations in Armenia (near Kavchut), as well as from Azerbaijan (Rätzel et al. 2017).

Specimens examined: — ARMENIA. Syunik prov.: Kapan distr. between Nerkin Giratagh and Verin Giratagh, rocky slope, 39°13’43”N, 46°15’57”E, 1515 m, 15 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( ERCB, KTC); S Kavchut, serpentinite rocks, roadsides, 39°12’39”N, 46°14’34”E, 15 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC); Kapan distr. , between Geghi and Geghavank, rocky slope, 39°13’21”N, 46°10’46”E, 1470 m, 15 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( ERCB, KTC); loamy and rocky slope near the road to Vank village (ca. 3 km SWW from Vank) and Chgnavor Mt. , 39°02’16”N, 46°13’21”E, 1670 m, 17 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC); NW of Vank , rocky and sandy slope, 39°03’02”N, 46°14’47”E, 1930 m, 17 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC); between Kapan and Verin Vachagan , rocky slopes and roadsides, 925 m, 18 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC); rocky and loamy slopes near the road to Shishkert , 39°03’57”N, 46°23’38”E, 1485 m, 18 June 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC) .

Taxonomic Note: — lectotype designated by Carlón et al. (2013) electronically published the 10.5.2013. In date 22.8.2013 Domina et al. (2013) have proposed the same specimen as lectotype. The designation by Carlón et al. (2013) has priority over that by Domina et al. (2013). Recently Rätzel et al. (2018) consider that the taxon described by Beck (1890) from “montem Sinai [Mount Sinai, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt]” is not related to Phelipanche mutelii and, furthermore, raised it to the rank of species. We agree with them, the O. mutelii var. sinaica is not related to P. mutelii , but according to our conception, we believe that is intimately related to P. cernua which we consider to be a form closely connected to desert environments. Based on this relationship, we provide here a new combination (nomenclatural novelty) that we think more appropiate for the aforementioned taxon. This taxon is known from Egypt and Iran and probably spreads through the neighboring countries to those cited.

Phelipanche cernua subsp. sinaica (Beck) Piwow., Ó. Sánchez & Moreno Mor. (comb. & stat. nov.). Type:— EGYPT (lectotype designated by Carlón et al. 2008: 22):—Ad montem Sinai in Prenanthis ramosissima [ Prenanthes ramosissima All. = Lactuca viminea (L.) J. & C. Presl ( Asteraceae )] radicibus, 15 May 1855, W. Schimper [Unio itiner. 1855]” (MPU-Schimper no. 110) [herbier du D’Le Sourd]!); isolectotypes: (P-02968059! [only the two specimens on the right side of the sheet next to their label]) (P-02968061!), (P-02968674!), (MPU-021329!), (LE s.n.!), (MO-1997748!). Basionym:— Orobanche mutelii var. sinaica Beck (1890: 97) . Homotypic synonyms:— Phelipanche mutelii var. sinaica (Beck) Béguinot (1902: 472) ; P. sinaica (Beck) Rätzel & Uhlich (2017: 47) . Misapplied names:— Orobanche schultzii auct., non O. schultzii Mutel (1835: 352) (e.g., Boulos 2002: 91 t. 22 f. 2).

Phelipanche cernua subsp. cernua can be distinguished from the subsp. sinaica because it has calyx-teeth longer than calyx-tube, triangular-lanceolate to lanceolate vs. calyx-teeth shorter than calyx-tube, shortly triangular and acute in subsp. sinaica ( Carlón et al. 2008: 22) , and the flowers are longer than in subsp. sinaica and with larger corolla-lobes. Based on this and our experience with this species, we think that the Azerbaijan photographs (Rätzel et al. 2017: 304 f. 6) correspond to P. cernua s.str.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Phelipanche cernua. A–B. General habit. C–F. Inflorescences. Photos by Renata Piwowarczyk.