Page 2 - 2009 Prospero hierae Phyton (1)

94

und abgebildet. Chromosomenzahl (2n = 14), Blattanatomie und Okologie wurden

untersucht. Diese niedere Art mit blaugrtinen, adaxial flachen Blattern gehort zur
Prospero autumnale-Gruppe und zeigt besonders zu P corsicum, P pulchellum und
P minimum Affinitaten.

l. Introduction

During field investigations carried aut on Marettimo Island (Egadi
Archipelago, W Sicily), some very peculiar populations of an autumn-
flowering geophyte referable to Scilla autunnalis L . s. l. were found. Ac-
cording to SPETA 1982 , 1985, 1993, 1998a, 1998b, EBERT & al. 1996, PFOSSER
& SPETA 1999, WETSCHNIG & PFOSSER 2003 and BRULLO & al. 2008, the
genus Scilla is very heterogeneous and not natural. Most of its subgenera
and sections have to be treated as distinct genera, well differentiated by
morphological, karyological, anatomica!, ontogenetical, biochemical and
biomolecular features. In fact, all the taxa belonging to the Scilla au-
tunnalis group are now included in Prospero SALISB. This genus differs
from Scilla s. str., typified by Scilla bifolia L., in many morphological
characters, as well as in the ontogenetical cycle and basic chromosome
number. The genus Prospero has hysteranthous, filiform or strap shaped
foliage leaves, erect scape, arising laterally by the leaves, bracts absent, 2-
ovulate ovary locules, seeds without elaiosomes, autumnal flowering time
(IX-Xl) and basic chromosome numbers of x = 4, 5, 6, 7. In contrast, the
genus Scilla s. str. is characterized by narrow synanthous foliage leaves ,
slack scape and prostrate when mature, inflorescence sometimes with
minute bracts, many-ovulate ovary locules, seeds with elaiosomes, winter-
spring flowering time (II-IV) and a basic chromosome number of x= 9.

In Italy, the genus Prospero is represented by P. autumnale (L.) SPETA,
P. obtusifolium (POIR.) SPETA subsp. intermedium (Guss.) SoLDANO &
CONTI, P. corsicum (BOULLU) J . M. TISON, P. elisae SPETA (see BRULLO & al.
2008). The specimens from Marettimo differ from the just mentioned taxa
in some relevant morphological features mainly regarding leaves, in-
florescences, flowers and fruits. In particular, this population is char-
acterized by flat leaves, glaucous and convolute when mature, very short
stem, few-flowered inflorescence, small tepals and stamens, and maculate
capsule. Therefore, it is here described as a new species to science and
named Prospero hierae, endemie to the Island of Marettimo, whose ancient
old name was ,Hiera".

2. Material and Methods

For the morphological investigations, living material cultivated for about 15
years in the Botanic Garden of Catania and coming from the Island of Marettimo
(Egadi Archipelago) was used, while for what we regard as P autumnale s. str., ma-
teria! collected near Trapani at , Monte Passo del Lupo" (BRULLO S. & al. 6663 , CAT)
was used. For the karyological study, mitotic metaphase plates were obtained from