Kali dodecanesicum C. Brullo, Brullo, Giusso & Ilardi 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Brullo, Cristian
name: Brullo, Salvatore
name: Ilardi, Vincenzo
name: Galdo, Gianpietro Giusso Del
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Caryophyllales
Amaranthaceae
Kali
Kali dodecanesicum

description: Kali dodecanesicum C. Brullo, Brullo, Giusso & Ilardi sp. nov. (Figs. 1–3)   
 Type:― GREECE. Dodecanese: Rhodes, sandy coast near Kattavia, 35° 58’ 35’’ N, 27° 44’ 25’’ E, 22 August 2013, S. Brullo & V. Ilardi s.n. (holotype CAT!, isotypes CAT!, PAL!)   
 Diagnosis: ― Kali pontico simili sed prostrato vel prostrato-ascendenti, scapi et foliis luteo-viridibus, laxe papillosis, foliis usque ad 23 mm longis, spina apicali 1–3 mm longa, margine hyalino papilloso, bracteorum axilla lanuginosa, bracteis 7–12 mm longis, bracteolis 5−7 mm longis, spina apicali 2−4 mm longa, tepalis 2,5− 3 mm longis, 1, 2 mm latis, staminorum filamentis inclusis, solum antheris exsertis, 2 mm longis, pistillo 3 mm longo, utriculo 2,4–2,5 mm diametro, fructifero perianthio 4–4,5 mm diametro, 3,5–3,6 mm alto, alis majoribus 0,7– 1 mm latis, alis minoribus 0,4–0,5 mm latis, parte distali perianthii fructiferi flexuosis.   
 Description: ―Annual herb, 10−50 cm tall, yellowish-green, laxly covered by minute papillae. Stems prostrate to prostrate-ascending, with longitudinal whitish striae, densely branched from base, with branches divaricate-ascending. Leaves rigid, linear-semi-cylindrical 5–23 mm long, basally expanded, margin membranaceous, papillose, apical mucro 1–3 mm long. Inflorescences spike-like, with 1–3 axillary flowers. Bracts ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 7–12 mm long, margin widely membranaceous, papillose, apical spine 2−4 mm long; bractlets similar to bracts but smaller, 5–7 mm long, woolly at the axil. Perianth segments hyaline, linear-oblong, 2.5−3.0 × 1.2 mm, rounded, apiculate at apex, 1-nerved. Staminal filaments hyaline, not projecting, 2.5−3 mm long, fused at the base in a thin annulus, alternating to semicircular staminodes hispid at apex; anthers yellow, 2 mm long, exserted. Pistil 3 mm long, with ovary ovoid and stigma bifid. Fruiting perianth 4.0− 4.5 mm in diameter, 3.5–3.6 mm tall, with 5 segments winged, coriaceous, membranaceous, with different shape and size; three larger provided with a wing 0.7−1.0 mm wide and two smaller with a wing (0.4−0.5 mm wide); distal part of the segments flexuous not forming a conical soft beak above. Utricle membranaceous, not elongated or fully globose, 2.4−2.5 × 2.0 mm. Seeds horizontal, 2.0− 2.3 mm in diameter, with a spiral embryo.   
 Etymology: ―From Latin “ Dodecanesus ”, nowadays Dodecanese, an archipelago located in the south-east of Greece, consisting of numerous islands and islets facing the Turkish coast, and where the new species was found in some of them.   
 Phenology: ―Flowering and fruiting from late summer to early autumn (July–October). Dried plants do not come off the ground and the fruiting perianth remains attached to the bracts for a long time after drying.   
 Habitat and distribution: ― Kali dodecanesicum grows on flat sandy beaches (very close to the shoreline) characterized by coarse sands mixed to pebbles and rich in organic matter washed up by the waves (Fig.3). It was found in some islands of the Dodecanese, as Rhodes, Kos, and Nisyros, where it is quite frequent. Despite this, the occurrence of the new species cannot be excluded in other islands of Dodecanese (Fig. 4). K. dodecanesicum behaves as a true psammophyte linked to nitrified sandy soils of coastal stands, and it grows together with other therophytes typical of such habitats strongly affected by waves and marine aerosol. It is usually member of plant communities of Cakiletea maritimae Tx. et Prsg. ex Br.Bl. & Tx. 1952, that also include Cakile maritima Scopoli (1772: 35), Kali tragus (Linnaeus 1756:13) Scopoli (1971: 175), Salsola soda Linnaeus (1753: 223), Chamaesyce peplis (Linnaeus 1753: 455) Prokhanov (1933: 15), Cynanchum acutum Linnaeus (1753: 212), Atriplex cfr. prostrata Boucher ex Candolle de in Lamarck et Candolle de (1805: 387).   
 Conservation status: ―On the basis of the current knowledge, Kali dodecanesicum occurs in some islands of the Dodecanese, where it is represented by many populations growing on sandy beaches. Unfortunately, the high specialization of this plant, as well as its annual life cycle, places it among the most threatened species. In fact, due to the remarkable and increasing anthropic pressure affecting sandy habitats, the psammophilous flora undergoes a continuous disturbance, that may often lead to the total or near-disappearance of such peculiar and very fragile vegetation. According to IUCN Red list protocol (IUCN 2014), this species is here classified as Vulnerable: VU B2ac(iii).   
 Discussion: ―On the basis of data provided by Rilke (1999), Mosyakin (2003), Zhu et al. (2003), Hrusa & Gaskin (2008, 2012), Ayers et al. (2009), Brullo et al. (2013, 2015), and Sukhorukov & Kushunina (2014) Kali dodecanesicum is morphologically well differentiated from the other known taxa of this genus, mainly concerning characteristics of habit, indumentum, leaves, bracts, flowers, utricles, and fruiting perianth. Basing on fruiting perianth with not well developed wings, K. dodecanesicum seems more closely related to K. ponticum, a species mainly distributed in the sandy beaches of the Black Sea (Rilke 1999, Brullo et al. 2013). However, several morphological features allow to differentiate the two species. K. ponticum is erect-ascending, with stems and leaves green, glabrous or subglabrous, leaves 1−6(−8) cm long, subrigid, ending with a spine 0.8–2.2 mm long, hyaline margin entire, bracts 5−18(−30) long and bracteoles up to 10 mm long, not woolly at the axil, with hyaline margin entire and spine 1−2.5 mm long, tepals 2.0−2.2(−2.5) × 0.8–1.2 mm, stamen filaments and anthers exserted, anther 0.8−1.4 mm long, pistil 2.0− 2.5 mm long, fruiting perianth 3−3.5 mm in diameter, 3 mm tall, with wings 0.2−0.4 mm wide, distal part of the segments subrigid forming a cylindrical beak above, utricle 2.0− 2.2 in diameter (Fig. 5). Besides, K. dodecanesicum, in having dense branched stems, rigid and short leaves and bracts, shows some morphological affinities with K. tragus, with which usually grows together, but many diacritical characters allow to distinguish them very well. The last species is erect with stem and leaves green coloured, often tinged with reddish, more or less hispid, longer leaves (up to 6 cm), tepals rounded and incise-fimbriate at apex, anthers shorter (0.8−1.4 mm long), fruiting perianth 6−10(−13) mm in diameter, with well developed wings (2.5−4.5 mm wide).
description: Published as part of Brullo, Cristian, Brullo, Salvatore, Ilardi, Vincenzo & Galdo, Gianpietro Giusso Del, 2015, Kali dodecanesicum (Chenopodiaceae, Salsoloideae) a new species from Greece, pp. 61-68 in Phytotaxa 218 (1) on pages 63-67, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.218.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/13633810