LIMONIUM RECTICAULE
1. Limonium recticaule Erben & Brullo, sp. nov. (Fig. 65)
Type:-GREECE. Crete: Creta, Hersonissos, 8 June 2000, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-165815!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 15-30 cm alta, foliis 10-20 × 2-4 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, conspicue tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, rectis, conspicue tuberculatis, saepe proliferis, rami sterilibus paucis, 1-3 per caulem, rectis, non ramosis, spicis 20-60 mm longis, spiculis 9-10 mm longis, 2-3-floris, ad 1-4 in 2 centimetris dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.8-3.2 × 2.1-2.9 mm, triangulari-ovata, apice obtusa, bractea media 2.8-3.0 × 1.8-2.5 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 7.5-8.0 × 4.4-4.8 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 6.2-7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore ca. 2 mm exserto, tubo unilateraliter paulo piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.6-1.0 mm, triangularibus.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15-30 cm tall, with numerous erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 2-6 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy, grey- green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, 10-20 mm long and 2-4 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex acute to obtuse, sometimes mucronate, hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems grey-green, 10-25 cm long, slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, slightly constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems; sometimes proliferating in axils. Inflorescence narrowly trullate or obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches few, 1-3 per stem, 1-3 cm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 3-7 cm long, straight to slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, erect or directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 20°- 45°, sometimes branched in the upper half. Spikes 20-60 mm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike conspicuous tuberculate with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 9-10 mm long, composed of 2-3 flowers, very remotely arranged with 1-4 per 2 cm. Outer bract 2.8-3.2 mm long and 2.1-2.9 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform glands, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8-3.0 mm long and 1.8-2.5 mm broad, oblong- elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 7.5-8.0 mm long and 4.4-4.8 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.5-6.2 mm long and 2.8-3.5 mm broad, oblong-obovate, with some crateriform glands, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.8-1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.2-7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by ca. 2 mm; calyx tube with some short hairs on one side, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, nearly triangular; margin of calyx often lacerate after anthesis. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Found on the north-east coast of Crete, between Iraklion and Heronissos (Fig. 87I).
Habitat:-Calcareous rocky coast.
Etymology:-The epithet “recticaule” refers to the straight stems of this species.
Taxonomic remarks:-Its morphological peculiarity places L. recticaule in the L. proliferum group. However, its habit and several other features mean that L. recticaule is well differentiated from the other species in the group: from L.proliferum and L. thirae by having smaller leaves and very remotely arranged spikelets, from L. crateriforme by having shorter inner bracts, from L. taenari by having very remotely arranged spikelets and broader inner bracts, fromL. schinousae by having shorter and more remotely arranged spikelets, longer inner bracts and calyces and from L. stenotatum by having mostely straight stems and branches and only few sterile branches.
Type:-GREECE. Crete: Creta, Hersonissos, 8 June 2000, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-165815!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 15-30 cm alta, foliis 10-20 × 2-4 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, conspicue tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, rectis, conspicue tuberculatis, saepe proliferis, rami sterilibus paucis, 1-3 per caulem, rectis, non ramosis, spicis 20-60 mm longis, spiculis 9-10 mm longis, 2-3-floris, ad 1-4 in 2 centimetris dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.8-3.2 × 2.1-2.9 mm, triangulari-ovata, apice obtusa, bractea media 2.8-3.0 × 1.8-2.5 mm, oblongo-elliptica, bractea superiore 7.5-8.0 × 4.4-4.8 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine late membranaceo, calyce 6.2-7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore ca. 2 mm exserto, tubo unilateraliter paulo piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.6-1.0 mm, triangularibus.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 15-30 cm tall, with numerous erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 2-6 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy, grey- green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, 10-20 mm long and 2-4 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex acute to obtuse, sometimes mucronate, hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems grey-green, 10-25 cm long, slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, slightly constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems; sometimes proliferating in axils. Inflorescence narrowly trullate or obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches few, 1-3 per stem, 1-3 cm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 3-7 cm long, straight to slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, erect or directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 20°- 45°, sometimes branched in the upper half. Spikes 20-60 mm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike conspicuous tuberculate with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 9-10 mm long, composed of 2-3 flowers, very remotely arranged with 1-4 per 2 cm. Outer bract 2.8-3.2 mm long and 2.1-2.9 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform glands, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.8-3.0 mm long and 1.8-2.5 mm broad, oblong- elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 7.5-8.0 mm long and 4.4-4.8 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.5-6.2 mm long and 2.8-3.5 mm broad, oblong-obovate, with some crateriform glands, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.8-1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.2-7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by ca. 2 mm; calyx tube with some short hairs on one side, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, nearly triangular; margin of calyx often lacerate after anthesis. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Found on the north-east coast of Crete, between Iraklion and Heronissos (Fig. 87I).
Habitat:-Calcareous rocky coast.
Etymology:-The epithet “recticaule” refers to the straight stems of this species.
Taxonomic remarks:-Its morphological peculiarity places L. recticaule in the L. proliferum group. However, its habit and several other features mean that L. recticaule is well differentiated from the other species in the group: from L.proliferum and L. thirae by having smaller leaves and very remotely arranged spikelets, from L. crateriforme by having shorter inner bracts, from L. taenari by having very remotely arranged spikelets and broader inner bracts, fromL. schinousae by having shorter and more remotely arranged spikelets, longer inner bracts and calyces and from L. stenotatum by having mostely straight stems and branches and only few sterile branches.
FIGURE 65. Limonium recticaule Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; Calyx lobes; H) Leaf. (Drawn from “Creta, Hersonissos, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).