Limonium aegaeum

Type:—GREECE. Cyclades: Isola Tinos, Ormos Panormou, 10 July 1994, Brullo & Minissale s.n. (holotype MSB-164252!, isotypes CAT!, FI!, Herb. Erben!).

Diagnosis:—Planta perennis, glabra, viridis vel glauca, 25–80 cm, foliis 20–90 × 6–15 mm, anguste spathulatis ad oblanceolatis, rugosis vel interdum verrucosis, caulibus rugosis vel verrucosis, flexuosis, ramis sterilibus pluribus, cum caule angulos 35°–60° formantibus, laxe ramosis, spicis 10–130 mm longis, spiculis 7.5–8.0 mm longis, saepe leviter incurvis, 2–7-floris, laxe dispositis, bractea exteriore 2.2–3.2 × 2.2–3.0 mm, triagulari-ovata, apice obtusa, bractea media 2.6–3.2 x1.8–2.8 mm, bractea interiore 6.6–7.3 × 3.7–5.1 mm , elliptica ad obovata, apice obtusa ad rotundata, calyce 6.2–7.5 mm longo, ex bractea superiore 0.5–1.5 mm exserto, tubo sparsim vel dense piloso, lobis calycis ca. 0.6 × 1.1 mm, semi-circularibus vel semi-ellipticis.

Description:—Plant perennial, glabrous, forming a sub-shrub 25–80 cm tall, with several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root. Caudices 10–80 mm, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half. Leaves fleshy, green to glaucous, rugose or sometimes verrucate with crescent-shaped glands, 20–90 mm long and 6–15 mm broad, spathulate to oblanceolate, apex obtuse to rounded, one central nerve with 2 lateral nerves at least on large leaves, gradually tapering into the petiole. Stems 15–75 cm long, smooth to verrucate, green to slightly glaucous, flexuous, branching begins near the base. Inflorescence obtriangular to obtrullate in outline. Sterile branches several, 1–12 cm long, straight to curved, unbranched or branched. Fertile branches 4–16 cm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of 35°– 60°, normally loosely branched. Spikes 10–130 mm long, straight to curved, inserted erect to obliquely; axis of the spike rugose or with some crateriform glands. Spikelets sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base, often fan-shaped, 7.5–8.0 mm long, composed of 2–7 flowers, remotely to densely arranged with 1–6 per cm. Outer bract 2.2–3.2 mm long and 2.2–3.0 mm broad, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly membranous; central part slightly fleshy, acuminate. Middle bract membranous, 2.6–3.2 mm long and 1.8–2.8 mm broad, oblong-elliptic, rounded. Inner bract 6.6–7.3 mm long and 3.7–5.1 mm broad, elliptic to obovate, obtuse to rounded; bract margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.1–6.5 mm long and 2.5–3.5 mm broad, oblong, acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.8–1.3 mm long, not reaching the upper margin. Calyx 6.2–7.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 0.5–1.5 mm; calyx tube sparsely to densely hairy, with 5 ribs ending at the base of lobes; calyx lobes very fine, ca. 0.6 × 1.1 mm, semi- circular to semi-elliptic. Corolla lilac.

Chromosome number:—2n = 34 (Erben Li–198, Li–1675, Li–1676, Li–1678, Li–1682, Li–1735, unpubl.).

Distribution:—This species is widespread along the Aegean coast of Greece and on the following Aegean Islands: Amorgos, Anafi, Antiparos, Chios, Chrysi, Crete, Donousa, Euboea, Ios, Kalymnos, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Poros, Schinousa, Sifnos, Skyros, Syros, Thira, Tinos (Fig. 86A). It also occurs sporadically in Turkey (West Anatolia).

Habitat:—Rocky coast, salt marshes and sandy beaches.

Etymology:—The epithet “aegaeum” refers to the distribution of this species around the Aegean Sea.

Taxonomic remarks:—L. aegaeum is taxonomically quite isolated, although its habit implies it is related to L. virgatum. L. aegaeum differs from L. virgatum first of all by having larger spikelets, larger calyces and a different chromosome number.

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