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| Thliphthisa sapphus Gutermann, in Gutermann, Jang, Kästner, Prehsler, Reich, Berger, Flatscher, Gilli, Hofbauer, Lachmayer, Sander, Sonnleitner et Mucina, 2024. photographs by M. Sonnleitner, drawings by A. Kästner. |
Abstract
The new species, Thliphthisa sapphus sp. nov. (Rubiaceae, Rubieae), a narrow endemic of the white cliffs of Lefkátas on the southwest coast of Lefkada (Greece) is described and illustrated and an IUCN assessment is presented. Vegetation relevés were performed at the single known locality, limestone cliffs facing the sea and revealed a new association, the Thliphthisa sapphus-Lomelosietum dallaportae. The chromosome number of Thliphthisa sapphus was determined as 2n = 4x = 44, being the single tetraploid species in the genus to date. The species also differs markedly morphologically from its morphologically closest relatives, two Greek steno-endemic oreophytes, Th. baenitzii and Th. muscosa by the following characters: densely setose mericarps and corolla, tetraploidy and by its distribution. An identification key for the Greek species of Thliphthisa is provided. Th. sapphus constitutes the westernmost outpost of a group of Greek steno-endemics, highlighting the importance of coastal habitats and their protection as refugia for poorly competitive chamaephytes.
Key words: Asperula, coastal cliff refugia, Greece, Ionian Islands, phytosociology, Rubiaceae, species nova, Thliphthisa
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| Illustration of Thliphthisa sapphus, based on the type material A whole plant B whole plant with vegetative and flowering shoots C vegetative shoot D detail of stem of vegetative shoot E flowering shoot F detail of stem of flowering shoot G flower H dissected flower (drawings by A. Kästner). |
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| Habit and flowers of Thliphthisa sapphus A old individual of Thliphthisa sapphus with a thick lignified rootstock B flowers of Thliphthisa sapphus exhibiting the characteristic indumentum on the corolla (photographs by M. Sonnleitner). |
Thliphthisa sapphus Gutermann, sp. nov.
Etymology: The epithet commemorates Sappho, the most famous poetess of the Classical Hellenic Era and refers to the traditional (though non-historical) believe she suicidally threw herself from the white cliffs of Lefkátas because of unrequited love for beautiful young Phaon. The epithet is in genitive spelling. The genitive in classical Latin also is "Sapphūs", as testified in the poem delivered as "incerti avctoris epistvla Sapphvs ad Phaonem" in Ovid’s Epistolae Heroidum no. 15.
Walter Gutermann, Tae-Soo Jang, Arndt Kästner, David Prehsler, Dieter Reich, Andreas Berger, Ruth Flatscher, Christian Gilli, Markus Hofbauer, Margarita Lachmayer, Ruth Sander, Michaela Sonnleitner and Ladislav Mucina. 2024. Thliphthisa sapphus (Rubiaceae, Rubieae), A New Species from Lefkada (Ionian Islands, Greece) and its ecological position. PhytoKeys. 241: 65-79. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.241.119144
