Asperula L. (Rubieae Baill., Rubiaceae Juss.) includes approximately 130 species classified into 10 sections (Ehrendorfer et al., 2005). The genus shows a high morphological and karyological variability and it is critical from the taxonomic point of view (Del Guacchio & Caputo, 2005, 2013; Minareci & Yıldız, 2011; Gargiulo et al., 2015). Asperula sect. Cynanchicae (DC.) Boiss. comprises about 100 mainly locally endemic taxa, which are dwarf shrubs or herbaceous perennials, growing on dry and rocky ground, with a preference for calcareous substrates. The section is predominantly distributed in the Mediterranean and Aegean areas, but its range extends to Great Britain in the north and Central Asia in the east (Ehrendorfer & Krendl, 1976; Ehrendorfer et al., 2014). The type of the section is the very polymorphic A. cynanchica L. (Gargiulo et al., 2015), and the lectotype of this name was designated by Ferrer-Gallego (2015) on a specimen at UPS (Herb. Burser XIX: 8).

Typifications of several species of Asperula in this section have already been published (Rosselló & Sáez, 2000; Del Guacchio & Caputo, 2005, 2013; Peruzzi et al., 2013; Ferrer-Gallego, 2015). However, the Linnaean name Asperula pyrenaica [currently accepted as A. cynanchica subsp. pyrenaica (L.) Nyman] and the name A. paui var. dianensis Font Quer [currently accepted as A. paui subsp. dianensis (Font Quer) Romo] (nomenclature according to Govaerts et al., 2012) have not been yet investigated (see e.g. Bolòs & Vigo, 1983; De la Torre et al., 1996; Jarvis, 2007) and are here typified. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to stability of nomenclature by the typification of these two names.

The designation of the corresponding types is based on the examination of Linnaeus’s and Font Quer’s original material and the literature cited in the respective protologues. The acronyms of the herbarium collections are cited according to Thiers (2017). Authors of cited taxa follow IPNI (2017).

Asperula pyrenaica

Asperula pyrenaica group is very variable with numerous local races (Ehrendorfer & Krendl, 1976; Gargiulo et al., 2015). Asperula cynanchica subsp. pyrenaica is a caespitose plant, with subterranean stolons, stems 2–20(–30) cm, weak, herbaceous throughout, stems usually shortly papillose-hairy below, often glabrescent above, lower leaves ovate or obovate, densely crowded, 8–16 × 0.3–1.3 mm, the margin weakly revolute, often shortly ciliate, bracts narrowly lanceolate, inflorescence corymbiform, corolla pink 2.8–4 mm, tube usually 1–1.5 times as long as lobes. This plant is distributed in upper montane to alpine zones in the Pyrenees (Spain and France) (Ortega-Olivencia & Devesa, 2007).

Linnaeus’s protologue (1753: 104) consisted of a nomen specificum legitimum “ASPERULA foliis quaternis lanceolato-linearibus, caule erecto, floribus saepius trifidis”, followed by a synonym “Rubia cynanchica saxatilis”, cited from Bauhin (1620: 146; 1623: 333) and the citation of a Burser specimen (“Burs. XIX. 9”). The provenance was also reported (“Habitat in Pyrenaeis versus Hispaniam & prope Valentiam Gallorum”). The protologue also includes the following description of the species: “Caules erecti, spithamaei, quadrangules. Folia omnia in caule quaterna, linearia, carinata, acuta, laevia; inferior etiam quaterna, sed breviora lanceolata obtusiora; folia summa & floralia opposita, latiora, acuta, lanceolata. Flores tubulosi, rubris, saepius trifidi”.

Jarvis (2007: 326) cited as Linnaeus’s original material the specimen at Herb. Burser XIX: 9 (UPS) (see also Juel, 1923; Savage, 1937). This specimen was cited by Linnaeus in the protologue, and therefore could be considered as a syntype (see just below) according to the Art. 9.5 of the International Code of Nomenclature (McNeill et al., 2012). The sheet at UPS-BURSER bears a well preserved flowering specimen, and the original annotation “Rubia cynanchica saxatilis Bauh. / In Pyrenaeis versus Hispaniam, et prope Valentiam Gallorum”. The UPS specimen morphologically matches the current concept and use of the name (e.g. Ehrendorfer & Krendl, 1976; Bolòs & Vigo, 1996; Ortega-Olivencia & Devesa, 2007; Aizpuru et al., 2015), and it is designated as the lectotype of the Linnaean name Asperula pyrenaica.

However, we consider important to mention that we have been unable to locate any further original material in any Linnaean or Linnaean-linked herbaria, and the specimen at UPS-BURSER appears to be the only extant useful material. In this sense, if the specimen at UPS is the only element used by Linnaeus, it must be accepted as the holotype (Art. 9 Note 1). Accordingly, as indicated McNeill (2014), the type can be indicated as: “Lectotype, designated here (or perhaps holotype)”.

Asperula cynanchica subsp. pyrenaica (L.) Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur.: 333 (1879)

≡ Asperula pyrenaica L., Sp. Pl.: 104 (1753) [basionym].

Ind. loc.: “Habitat in Pyrenaeis versus Hispaniam & prope Valentiam Gallorum”

Lectotype (designated here [or perhaps holotype]): Herb. Burser XIX: 9 (UPS-BURSER!). Fig. 1

Asperula paui var. dianensis

Asperula paui subsp. dianensis is distributed only in the Alicante province (Spain), and it differs from the subspecies type (endemic to Western Balearic Islands) by the longer corolla, up to 4.2–7.7 mm (2.5–4.7 mm in subsp. paui), pink or yellow on the inner side of the lobes (pink or white in subsp. paui), longer style, up to 5.8 mm (up to 1.6 mm in subsp. paui), and stigmas reaching the upper level of the anthers (and not reaching the upper level of the anthers in subsp. paui) (Laguna et al., 1998; Ortega-Olivencia & Devesa, 2007).

The lectotype of A. paui was designated by Rosselló & Sáez (2000: 156) from a specimen at BC (barcode BC109680!) [the specimen was mounted on three herbarium sheets] from “Cala de les Torretes (Eivissa)” and collected by E. Gros on 8 July 1920, another original material is preserved at B, with barcode B 10 0278134!, collected on 9 July 1920 also by E. Gros in “Hispaniae: Ebuso” (image available at http://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.b_10_0278134).

The protologue of A. paui var. dianensis (Font Quer, 1926: 57) includes a diagnosis (“A typo foliis angustioribus, corolla tubo elongato, differt. Planta minus intricato ramosa, foliis tenuioribus”) and the geographical provenance (“Hab. in rupestribus calcareis orae valentinae, Hifac; Barranc de Mascarat, pr. Calp; Cap de S. Antoni; etc. circa Dianium”).

We traced three herbarium sheets at BC (barcodes BC-82578!, BC-82520! and BC-82521!) which are part of the original material used by Font Quer (1926) to describe the new variety. The BC-82578 bears five fragments of a plant and the printed label “Institutus Botanicus Barcinonensis / Flora Iberica Selecta / Cent. I / Dec. 1934 / 86. Asperula Paui Font Quer / Butll. Inst. Cat. Hist. Nat., 1920, p. 188. / var. dianensis Font Quer / l.c., 1926, p. 57. / Valentia: in rupibus calcareis, l. Barranc de Mascarat dicto, prope / Calp, ad 50 m alt. Cotypus[1]. / Leg. Font Quer, 13 maji 1923”. The BC-82521 bears three plant fragments mounted in two sheets, and the BC-82520 bears two plant fragments mounted in two sheets, these four sheets with the same printed label of BC-82578. All the specimens at BC are part of a gathering that includes the Font Quer’s original material, for which there are some duplicates in others herbaria (see just below).

One of these duplicates is deposited at MA (barcode MA 117109!, image of the specimen available at http://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.ma117109?loggedin=true). Some fragments are beared on the sheet and they are very well developed and preserved; the same label of the BC sheets occur on the MA sheet.

A second duplicate is preserved at JE (barcode JE00008314!, image available at: http://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.je00008314) and it bears a plant well developed and preserved, and the same label of the Font Quer’s exsiccata at BC and MA.

Among the elements selected for the typification of Asperula paui var. dianensis (at BC, MA, and JE), we here designate the BC-82578 as the lectotype of the name, since it appears to be the better preserved. Moreover, it matched the traditional concept and current use of the name (e.g. Bolòs & Vigo, 1996; De la Torre et al., 1996; Laguna et al., 1998; Ortega-Olivencia & Devesa, 2007; Mateo & Crespo, 2014). The duplicate specimens at BC, MA and JE are isolectotypes.

Asperula paui subsp. dianensis (Font Quer) Romo, Fl. Silv. Baleares: 282 (1994)

≡ Asperula paui var. dianensis Font Quer in Butll. Inst. Catalana Hist. Nat. 26: 57 (1926) [basionym] ≡ Asperula cynanchica var. dianensis (Font Quer) O. Bolòs & Vigo in Collect. Bot. (Barcelona) 14: 100 (1983); Asperula paui subsp. dianensis (Font Quer) De la Torre, Alcaraz & M. B. Crespo, Lazaroa 16: 154 (1996), comb. superf.

Ind. loc.: “Hab. in rupestribus calcareis orae valentinae, Hifac; Barranc de Mascarat, pr. Calp; Cap de S. Antoni; etc. circa Dianium”.

Lectotype (designated here): Valentia: in rupibus calcareis, l. Barranc de Mascarat dicto, prope Calp, ad 50 m alt., Font Quer, 13 maji 1923, BC, barcode BC-82578! (Fig. 2. Isolectotypes: BC, barcodes 82520! and 82521!; JE, barcode JE00008314!; MA, barcode MA-117109!