LIMONIUM XEROCAMPOSICUM
1. Limonium xerocamposicum Erben & Brullo, sp. nov. (Fig. 18)
Type:-GREECE. Crete: Creta, costa rocciosa presso Aghia Irini (Xerocampos), 24 August 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n.
(holotype MSB-165823!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 10-20 cm alta, foliis 8-15 × 1-3 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, apice fere acutis, uncinatis, tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, tenuibus, leviter tuberculatis, articulatis, ramis sterilibus absentibus vel 1-4 per caulem, spicis 10-30 mm longis, spiculis 7.5-8.0 mm longis, 1-2-floris, ad 2-3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.3-2.5 × 1.8-2.0 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, apice acuta, bractea media 2.7-2.9 × 1.8-2.0 mm, elliptica, bractea superiore 7.0-7.2 × 3.2-3.6 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine anguste membranaceo, calyce 5.0-5.5 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0-1.2 mm exserto, tubo glabro, lobis calycix ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, plus minusve triangularibus.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10-20 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 2-5 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half; living leaves at apices in rosettes. Leaves fleshy, grey-green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, 8-15 mm long and 1-3 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex nearly acute, hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems slender, 3-10 cm long, flexuous, more or less slightly tuberculate with crateriform glands, constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems. Inflorescence trullate or obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1-4 per stem, 5-10 mm long, straight, verrucate, undivided. Fertile branches 1-3 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, constricted at nodes, straight, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°-70°, normally unbranched. Spikes 10-30 mm long, straight, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with some crateriform glands. Spikelets 7.5-8.0 mm long, composed of 1-2 flowers, remotely arranged with 2-3 per cm, sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.3-2.5 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform glands, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.7-2.9 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, elliptic, rounded to obtuse. Inner bract 7.0-7.2 mm long and 3.2-3.6 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin more or less narrowly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.9-6.1 mm long and 1.8-2.2 mm broad, oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.6-0.7 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.0-5.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0-1.2 mm; calyx tube glabrous, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, nearly triangular. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Restricted to a small area of East Crete, where it is very rare (Fig. 96B).
Habitat:-Calcareous rocky coast.
Etymology:-The species is named after Xerocampos in eastern Crete, where it was collected.
Taxonomic remarks:-L. xerocamposicum is similar to L. fragile in habit, leaves and inflorescences, but it differs from the latter in the absence of sterile branches, and having longer spikelets, bracts and calyces. Besides, it differs from L. dolihiense by having shorter spikelets, inner bracts and calyces, from L. athinense by having longer and broader inner bracts, longer calyces and more remotely arranged spikelets, and from L.microcycladicum by having narrower leaves, more remotely arranged spikelets, narrower inner bracts and shorter calyces.
Type:-GREECE. Crete: Creta, costa rocciosa presso Aghia Irini (Xerocampos), 24 August 1996, Brullo & Guarino s.n.
(holotype MSB-165823!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-viridis, 10-20 cm alta, foliis 8-15 × 1-3 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, apice fere acutis, uncinatis, tuberculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus pluribus, tenuibus, leviter tuberculatis, articulatis, ramis sterilibus absentibus vel 1-4 per caulem, spicis 10-30 mm longis, spiculis 7.5-8.0 mm longis, 1-2-floris, ad 2-3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.3-2.5 × 1.8-2.0 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, apice acuta, bractea media 2.7-2.9 × 1.8-2.0 mm, elliptica, bractea superiore 7.0-7.2 × 3.2-3.6 mm, oblongo-obovata, apice rotundata, margine anguste membranaceo, calyce 5.0-5.5 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0-1.2 mm exserto, tubo glabro, lobis calycix ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, plus minusve triangularibus.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10-20 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 2-5 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half; living leaves at apices in rosettes. Leaves fleshy, grey-green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, 8-15 mm long and 1-3 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex nearly acute, hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems slender, 3-10 cm long, flexuous, more or less slightly tuberculate with crateriform glands, constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems. Inflorescence trullate or obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches absent or only 1-4 per stem, 5-10 mm long, straight, verrucate, undivided. Fertile branches 1-3 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, constricted at nodes, straight, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°-70°, normally unbranched. Spikes 10-30 mm long, straight, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with some crateriform glands. Spikelets 7.5-8.0 mm long, composed of 1-2 flowers, remotely arranged with 2-3 per cm, sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.3-2.5 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, acute; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform glands, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.7-2.9 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, elliptic, rounded to obtuse. Inner bract 7.0-7.2 mm long and 3.2-3.6 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded; bract margin more or less narrowly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.9-6.1 mm long and 1.8-2.2 mm broad, oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.6-0.7 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.0-5.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0-1.2 mm; calyx tube glabrous, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, nearly triangular. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Restricted to a small area of East Crete, where it is very rare (Fig. 96B).
Habitat:-Calcareous rocky coast.
Etymology:-The species is named after Xerocampos in eastern Crete, where it was collected.
Taxonomic remarks:-L. xerocamposicum is similar to L. fragile in habit, leaves and inflorescences, but it differs from the latter in the absence of sterile branches, and having longer spikelets, bracts and calyces. Besides, it differs from L. dolihiense by having shorter spikelets, inner bracts and calyces, from L. athinense by having longer and broader inner bracts, longer calyces and more remotely arranged spikelets, and from L.microcycladicum by having narrower leaves, more remotely arranged spikelets, narrower inner bracts and shorter calyces.
FIGURE 18. Limonium xerocamposicum Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Creta, Agio Irini, Brullo & Guarino s.n., MSB, CAT”).