LIMONIUM OLIGOTRICHUM
1. Limonium oligotrichum Erben & Brullo, sp. nov. (Fig. 22)
Type:-GREECE. Dodecanese: Karpathos, Damatria, 30 June 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-164029!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-glauca, 10-30 cm alta, foliis 10-50 × 1.5-4.0 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, subemarginatis, tuberculatis, saepe canaliculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus paucis, tuberculatis, ramis sterilibus paucis, spicis 15-50 mm longis, spiculis 7.5-8.5 mm longis, 1-3-floris, ad 2-3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.5-3.1 × 2.0-2.3 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, bractea media 2.9-3.8 × 1.8-2.0 mm, bractea superiore 7.5-8.0 × 3.3-4.0 mm, oblongo-elliptica, superne sparsim pilosa, margine late membranaceo, calyce 5.8-7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0-1.2 mm exserto, tubo sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, late semi-ellipticis.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10-30 cm tall, with few ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 15-60 mm long, densely branched, more or less densely spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy to coriaceous, rigid, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, glaucous, 10-50 mm long and 1.5-4.0 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex obtuse, mucronulate, often canaliculated in cross-section, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 8-30 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands or verrucate with many crescent-shaped glands, grey-glaucous, straight to slightly flexuous, branching begins above the lower quarter. Inflorescence obtrullate or obtriangular in outline. Sterile branches few, 2-6 per stem, 1-6 cm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 2-12 cm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°-60°, short branches undivided, long branches loosely branched. Spikes 15-50 mm long, straight to slightly arched, erect to directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 7.5-8.5 mm long, composed of 1-3 flowers, remotely arranged with 2-3 per cm, often laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.5-3.1 mm long and 2.0-2.3 mm broad, more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only on the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.9-3.8 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 7.5-8.0 mm long and 3.3-4.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptical, round to obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous, on the upper part with some short hairs; central part fleshy, 5.2-6.0 mm long and 2.1-2.6 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.8-1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.8-7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0-1.2 mm; calyx tube covered with few short hairs near the base or sparsely shortly hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, broadly semi- elliptic. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Common on Karpathos, more rare in eastern Crete (Fig. 91F).
Habitat:-Calcareous and marly rocky coast.
Etymology:-The epithet “oligotrichum” refers to the presence of just a few hairs on the upper part of the inner bract.
Taxonomic remarks:-L. oligotrichum has a habit very similar to L. amopicum in habit, but it differs by having shorter spikes and spikelets, as well as partially hairy inner bracts, from all other taxa of the L. carpathum group by having smaller leaves.
Type:-GREECE. Dodecanese: Karpathos, Damatria, 30 June 2002, Brullo & Giusso s.n. (holotype MSB-164029!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).
Diagnosis:-Planta perennis, glabra, griseo-glauca, 10-30 cm alta, foliis 10-50 × 1.5-4.0 mm, anguste oblanceolatis, subemarginatis, tuberculatis, saepe canaliculatis, 1-nerviis, caulibus paucis, tuberculatis, ramis sterilibus paucis, spicis 15-50 mm longis, spiculis 7.5-8.5 mm longis, 1-3-floris, ad 2-3 in 1 centimetro dispositis, bractea inferiore 2.5-3.1 × 2.0-2.3 mm, anguste triangulari-ovata, bractea media 2.9-3.8 × 1.8-2.0 mm, bractea superiore 7.5-8.0 × 3.3-4.0 mm, oblongo-elliptica, superne sparsim pilosa, margine late membranaceo, calyce 5.8-7.0 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 1.0-1.2 mm exserto, tubo sparsim piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, late semi-ellipticis.
Description:-Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 10-30 cm tall, with few ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 15-60 mm long, densely branched, more or less densely spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy to coriaceous, rigid, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, glaucous, 10-50 mm long and 1.5-4.0 mm broad, narrowly oblanceolate, apex obtuse, mucronulate, often canaliculated in cross-section, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 8-30 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands or verrucate with many crescent-shaped glands, grey-glaucous, straight to slightly flexuous, branching begins above the lower quarter. Inflorescence obtrullate or obtriangular in outline. Sterile branches few, 2-6 per stem, 1-6 cm long, straight, unbranched. Fertile branches 2-12 cm long, straight to slightly arched, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°-60°, short branches undivided, long branches loosely branched. Spikes 15-50 mm long, straight to slightly arched, erect to directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with many crateriform glands. Spikelets 7.5-8.5 mm long, composed of 1-3 flowers, remotely arranged with 2-3 per cm, often laterally slightly curved near the base. Outer bract 2.5-3.1 mm long and 2.0-2.3 mm broad, more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, sometimes only on the base, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.9-3.8 mm long and 1.8-2.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 7.5-8.0 mm long and 3.3-4.0 mm broad, oblong-elliptical, round to obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous, on the upper part with some short hairs; central part fleshy, 5.2-6.0 mm long and 2.1-2.6 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.8-1.1 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 5.8-7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0-1.2 mm; calyx tube covered with few short hairs near the base or sparsely shortly hairy, with 5 ribs ending above the base of lobes; calyx lobes ca. 0.7 × 1.0 mm, broadly semi- elliptic. Corolla lilac.
Distribution:-Common on Karpathos, more rare in eastern Crete (Fig. 91F).
Habitat:-Calcareous and marly rocky coast.
Etymology:-The epithet “oligotrichum” refers to the presence of just a few hairs on the upper part of the inner bract.
Taxonomic remarks:-L. oligotrichum has a habit very similar to L. amopicum in habit, but it differs by having shorter spikes and spikelets, as well as partially hairy inner bracts, from all other taxa of the L. carpathum group by having smaller leaves.
FIGURE 22. Limonium oligotrichum Erben & Brullo. A) Habit; B) Spikelet; C) Outer bract; D) Middle bract; E) Inner bract; F) Calyx; G) Calyx lobes; H) Leaves. (Drawn from “Karpathos, Damatria, Brullo & Giusso s.n., MSB, CAT”).