Page 6 - Gianguzzi_alii_2012

Acta Botanica Gallica: Botany Letters 307

Nat. 9, 94 (1843); = Simethis bicolor (Desf.) Kunth,
Enum. Pl. 4, 618 (1843); = Sieboldia bicolor (Desf.)
Heynh., Alph. Aufz. Gew., 644 (1847); = Phalangium
holosericeum Pourr. ex Willk. and Lange, Prodr. Fl.
Hispan. 1, 203 (1862); = Pogonella planifolium Salisb.,
Gen. Pl., 70 (1866), nom. inval.; = Simethis mattiazzii
(Vand.) Sacc., Atti Mem. Reale Accad. Sci. Lett. Arti
Padova n.s. 16, 78 (1900); = Pubilaria planifolia (L.)
Samp., Exsicc. (Herb. Portug.), Apend. 3, 4 (1914); ≡
Pubilaria mattiazzii (Vand.) Samp., Anais Fac. Ci. Univ.
Porto 22, 5 (1936); = Simethis mattiazzii (Vand.)
G. López and C.E. Jarvis., Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 40
(2), 344. 1984 (1983, publ. 1984).
The binomial Simethis mattiazzi was coined for the
first time by Saccardo (1900), who pointed out that the
work of Vandelli (Sept. 1771) was earlier than that of
Linnaeus (Oct. 1771), albeit slightly. On this basis, the
identical binomial re-proposed more recently by Lòpez-
Gonzàlez and Jarvis (1984) has therefore to be
considered as a later homonym. The basionym of the
species is Anthericum mattiazzi Vandelli, because the
entity was dedicated to G. Matteazzi (or Mattiazzi), head
gardener at the Botanical Garden of Padua in the period
1764–68, before moving to Lisbon (Saccardo 1900;
Pignatti 1982). The genus Simethis, described by Kunth
(1843), is dedicated to a nymph of the ancient
mythology, daughter of the Simeto River (Fournier
1961), an important watercourse that flows in Sicily,
where it crosses the Plain of Catania.
Figure 3. Detail of the flower.
Findings Figure 3. Détail de la fleur.
Marettimo Island (Favignana, Trapani), Punta Bassana,
calcareous rocky ridge, 4.5.2003, S. Brullo (CT); Ibid.,
April and the second decade of May, with an optimum
Punta Bassana, calcareous rocky ridge, 5.5.2003,
between the second half of April and early May. The
L. Gianguzzi (PA, Herb. L. Gianguzzi); Mount S.
bloom is acropetal, developing in succession, with the
Giuliano (Erice, TP), calcareous plateau above the cliffs
first buds opening from the basal branches, then
of Pizzolungo, 11.5.2011, L. Gianguzzi, D. Cusimano,
proceeding toward the top of the inflorescence. The
S. Romano, V. Ilardi (PA, Herb. L. Gianguzzi).
fruiting ratio is low (20–40%) with many flowers
aborting early, the fruit detaching itself at the end of
Description of the surveyed populations the pedicel, after the formation of scar tissue. In the
Herbaceous perennial plant (Figure 1), (15) 20–35 (40) Marettimo population, across several years of
cm high. Vertical rhizome, with fleshy roots. Leaves observation, a flower drop of over two-thirds of the
5–7 mm by 1.5–4 (5) dm, sometimes exceeding the flowers was observed.
flowering stem. Single flowering scape, with slender
twigs, erect-patent, each with 3–10 flowers. Flowers
Chromosomal number
borne on pedicels not articulated, slender, long 5–10
(13) mm during anthesis, up to 14 (18) mm at fruiting; Karyological surveys on S. mattiazzi, conducted in the
Iberian Peninsula, report chromosomal numbers equal to
tepals 9–11 by 3–4.5 mm, white inside, more or less
n = 24 (Fernández, Díez, and Pastor 1985), and 2n =48
purple on the outside (Figure 3). Three-lobed capsule,
(Fernandes 1950; Barros Neves 1973). In Italy, analyses
subglobose, 4–5 mm wide by 5–6 mm long, blackish.
performed on samples from the Agro Pontino (Borgo
Seeds ovoid or subglobose, about 4 by 3–3.5 mm, gloss
Isonzo, Latina) and Sardinia (S. Antioco Island, Cagliari
black, with white aril.
Prov.) report a chromosomal number equal to 2n =24
(Locatelli-Lanzara, Marchi, and Moskova 1971;
Phenology
Capineri, D’Amato, and Marchi 1978). These
Based on the observations of both investigated observations suggest that Italian populations are diploids
populations, anthesis occurs between late March/early whereas the westernmost populations are tetraploids.