Page 7 - Domina_alii_2017

54 G. DOMINA ET AL.

Affinities. Centaurea aegusae is morphologically close 2 Peduncles sparsely bracteate; leaves of branches
to C. panormitana and C. saccensis. It can be distin- 5–10 mm long; pappus longer than cypsela . .... C.
guished from both by the lack of intermediate pinnu- saccensis

lae between the pinnae of lower leaves, a higher 2 Peduncles densely bracteate; leaves of branches
number of capitula (8–20 instead than 1–14 per plant), 10–20 mm long; pappus shorter than cypsela .... 3
and smaller achenes (3–3.5 £ 1–1.5 mm instead of 3 Lower leaves entire or lyrate; phyllaries glabrescent,
3.8–4.5 £ 1.4–2 mm). their appendage with a 2–3mmwidemargin
below the cilia; pappus half as long as cypsela . .. .C.
busambarensis
Discussion 3 Lower leaves 1–2 pinnatisect; phyllaries white-

tomentose to arachnoid; their appendage with a
Observations in the field confirmed that some charac-
0.3–1 mm wide margin below the cilia; pappus
ters of the plants studied are influenced by differences
two-thirds as long as cypsela . . . ..... ..... .C. erycina
in environmental conditions. Size and indumentum of
4 Leaves glabrescent, rarely somewhat arachnoid .. . 5
the leaves have been used as diagnostic characters in
4 At least the upper leaves gray-tomentose . . . ..... 7

the different subspecies of Centaurea panormitana
5 Lower leaves with apical and later lobes large (5)
(Lacaita 1915), but the production of small, divided,
10–20 mm ... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... C. umbrosa
tomentose leaves in response to drought has been
5 Lower leaves with apical and lateral lobes large 5–
reported in Centaurea (Larcher 2003). The white or
10(20) mm . . . ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... 6
gray indumentum used to distinguish the different
6 Capitula 3.8–5 £ 1.4–2 mm, cypsela 3.8–5 £ 1.4–
subspecies of C. panormitana seems to arise in protec-
2 mm, pappus 2–2.4 mm .. ..... ..... ..... .C. todaroi
tion from excessive insolation and quickly disappears
6 Capitula 3–3.3 £ 1.3–1.4 mm, cypsela 3–3.3 £ 1.3–
in cultivation under lesser irradiation, as was observed
1.5 mm, pappus 2.7–2.8 mm ... ..... .. C. seguenzae
on C. panormitana subsp. panormitana cultivated in
7 Lower leaves without pinnules between the pri-
the Botanic Garden of Palermo. Furthermore, all C.
mary pinnae; capitula 8–20 per stem; cypsela 3–
panormitana subspecies produce subglabrous basal
3.5 £ 1–1.5 mm .. ..... ..... ..... ..... .... C. aegusae
leaves during the autumn and winter period but white
7 Lower leaves with pinnules between the primary
or gray basal leaves in spring, when the environment
becomes drier. Also, the size of leaves in cultivated pinnae; capitula 1–17 per stem; cypsela 3.8–4.5 £
1.4–2 mm .... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... C. panormitana
plants is definitely larger than in the wild.
Conclusions
Synopsis of the species of the Centaurea
Our results do not support a two-tiered classification busambarensis complex
of the taxa of the Centaurea busambarensis complex,
Centaurea aegusae Domina et al., hoc loco.
some at species rank and others as subspecies. In the
Centaurea busambarensis Guss., Fl. Sicul. Syn. 2: 873.
absence of hierarchical differences, it seems sensible
1844–1845 C. cineraria var. busambarensis (Guss.)
to treat all taxa currently recognized in the complex,
Sommier in Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., ser. 2, 1(2): 87.
each defined morphologically and with its own, dis-
1894 Acosta busambarensis (Guss.) Holub in Preslia
crete area at the same level, (micro-)species.
46: 226. 1974 C. cineraria subsp. busambarensis
(Guss.) Dost al in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 71: 196. 1976.
Centaurea erycina Raimondo & Bancheva in Bocco-
Key to the species of the Centaurea busambarensis
nea 17: 299. 2004.
complex (adapted from Raimondo & Bancheva 2004)
Centaurea panormitana Lojac., Fl. Sicul. 2(1): 137.
1 Plantlets and mature plants densely white-tomen- 1903 [ D C. ucriae Lacaita in Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. 22:
tose; phyllaries with 2–3 mm long fimbriae .... ... 2 244. 1915 C. panormitana subsp. ucriae (Lacaita)

1 Plantlets and at least lower mature leaves with Greuter, Med-Checkl. 2: 126. 2008].
grayish to arachnoid indumentum, or glabrescent; Centaurea saccensis Raimondo et al. in Bocconea 17:
phyllaries with 1–1.5(-2) mm long fimbriae .... ... 4 293. 2004.