Tuesday, July 18, 2023

[Botany • 2023] Linaria sagrensis (Plantaginaceae) • A New high Mountain Species from the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula

 
Linaria sagrensis  Blanca, Cueto, J.Fuentes, L.Gutiérrez & F.B.Navarro, 

in Blanca, Cueto, Fuentes, Gutiérrez, Sáez et Navarro. 2023. 
Photographs: (a–d) Granada, Huéscar, Sierra de la Sagra, by J. Fuentes


Abstract
Linaria sagrensis, from the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula, is here newly described, illustrated, and compared with its morphologically closest relatives from L. sect. Supinae: L. pruinosa, L. nevadensis, L. glacialis and L. alpina subsp. alpina. The species is characterized by being perennial, entirely glandular-hairy, with inflorescence dense and corymbiform, and calyx lobes unequal; corolla small, pinkish-violet, with conspicuous dark veins and yellow to orangish palate, and spur shorter than the rest of the corolla; capsule globose, glandular-hairy at apex; seeds large, black to dark greyish, with apparently smooth disc, though with very few and scattered small tubercles, and light-grey wing. Linaria sagrensis is endemic to Sierra de la Sagra (N Granada province, Spain), growing in calcareous screes of the Mediterranean high mountain. Additionally, L. aeruginea subsp. pruinosa is here raised to species rank, L. pruinosa, and therefore a new combination is proposed. The value of seed characters in Linaria taxonomy is discussed based on newly discovered infraspecific variability in several taxa.

Keywords: Antirrhineae, Betic Massif, endemic, plants, Granada province, Linaria sect. Supinae, seed micromorphology, Sierra de la Sagra, Spain, taxonomy

 Linaria sagrensis sp. nov. (from holotype).
 (a) Habit, (b) detail of leaves (fertile stems), (c) flower front view, (d) flower lateral view, (e) capsule, (f) seed front view.

Linaria taxa studied:
(a–d) Linaria sagrensis sp. nov. ((a) habit; (b) flower detail; (c) capsules detail; (d) small tubers detail).
(e) Linaria pruinosa, (f) Linaria nevadensis, (g) Linaria glacialis, (h) Linaria alpina subsp. alpina.
Photographs: (a–d) Granada, Huéscar, Sierra de la Sagra, by J. Fuentes; (e) Majorca, Puig de Massanella, by L. Sáez; (f–g) Granada, Sierra Nevada, Veleta, by G. Blanca; (h) Huesca, Cerler, by G. Blanca.

Linaria sagrensis sp. nov. 
((a) habit; (b) flower detail; (c) capsules detail; (d) small tubers detail). 

Photographs: (a–d) Granada, Huéscar, Sierra de la Sagra, by J. Fuentes


Linaria sagrensis Blanca, Cueto, J.Fuentes, L.Gutiérrez and F.B.Navarro sp. nov.

A species differing from L. pruinosa (Sennen and Pau) L. Sáez et al., L. nevadensis (Boiss.) Boiss. and Reut., L. glacialis Boiss. and L. alpina Mill. subsp. alpina in being entirely glandular-hairy, having dense and corymbiform racemes to 1.5 cm long, short pedicels only (0.1–)0.2–0.5 mm in flower, and smaller corolla (12–14 mm long, with spur 4.0–5.5 mm long) (versus glabrous to glandular-hairy in the inflorescence or rarely in the upper half, usually longer racemes 0.8–12.0 cm long, pedicel (0–)0.5–12.0 mm long in flower, corolla (11–)12–31 mm long, and spur 5–15 mm long). It also differs from L. pruinosa in having a pinkish-violet corolla and light-grey seed-wing colour (versus greyish-rose to pinkish-purple corolla and black or greyish seed-wing colour). It also differs from L. nevadensis in having a pinkish-violet corolla, and seeds 2.4–3.0 × 2.5–3.5 mm with smooth disc surface (versus yellow corolla, and smaller seeds with smooth or tuberculate disc surface, sometimes with anastomosed tubercles forming ± sinuose ridges). It also differs from L. glacialis in having leaves 3–5-verticillate, linear, bracts 2.0–5.0 × 0.3–0.9 mm, and smaller capsule of 4–6 × 4–6 mm (versus leaves four-verticillate, elliptic to linear-lanceolate, bracts 12.0–20.0 × 1.2–3.0 mm, and capsule (5–)7–8(–10) × 7–8(–10) mm). Finally, the new species is distinct from L. alpina subsp. alpina in having leaves 4.0–12.0 × 0.5–1.2 mm, corolla pinkish-violet, capsule glandular-hairy at apex, and light-grey seed-wing colour (versus leaves 2.5–25.0 × 0.6–5.0 mm, blue-violet, pink or yellow corolla, glabrous capsule and grey or black seed-wing colour).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Sierra de la Sagra, located in Huéscar (north of the Granada province, Andalusia, Spain), which with 2383 m in elevation is the highest mountain in the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula, after Sierra Nevada.



Gabriel Blanca, Miguel Cueto, Julián Fuentes, Leonardo Gutiérrez, Llorenç Sáez and Francisco Bruno Navarro. 2023. Linaria sagrensis (Plantaginaceae), A New high Mountain Species from the SE Iberian Peninsula. Nordic Journal of Botany. DOI: 10.1111/njb.04022