Collectanea Botanica

Reproductive ecology of Syzygium cumini (Myrtaceae)

Lankapalli Kala Grace — 2024-12-30

Syzygium cumini is an evergreen hermaphroditic tree species. The floral characteristics such as creamy white flowers, scent production, copious nectar secretion in exposed cup-shaped calyx, and exposed stamens and stigma due to detachment of corolla following anthesis constitute a generalist pollination syndrome. Accordingly, bees, ants, flies, butterflies and diurnal hawkmoths visit the flowers during day time to collect pollen and/or nectar during which pollination occurs. Among the insects visiting the flowers, diurnal hawkmoths promote cross-pollination and the others, autogamy and geitonogamy. The nectar and pollen produced by the flowers provide certain essential and non-essential amino acids, and protein; the nectar additional provides hexose-rich sugars. The flowers are long-lived and produce fresh nectar each day, and the foragers are accordingly rewarded. Fruits are 1-seeded, pulpy and dispersed by birds; they are collected by local people for self-consumption or for selling in the local markets due to their edible nature.

Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae): a new addition to the vascular flora of Morocco

Hamid Khamar — 2024-12-30

Euphorbia hypericifolia L., native to the tropics and subtropics of the New World, has recently been found in disturbed sites in the Moroccan North Atlantic phytogeographic region. It represents a new record for the vascular flora of Morocco. To facilitate its identification, this study provides a brief morphological description of the species, a photographic plate, a distribution map, and notes on ecology and habitats.

On the occurrence of Oxybasis rubra (Amaranthaceae) in Sardinia, with notes on Chenopodium blitoides and C. humile

Duilio Iamonico — 2024-12-30

As part of an ongoing study on the genus Chenopodium s. l., 20 populations of Oxybasis rubra var. rubra were discovered in Sardinia, representing a confirmation of this taxon in the Mediterranean Island. In fact, based on literature, O. rubra was differently indicated in Sardinia over the time as occurring, doubtful or absent. Morphological characters, as well as ecological and chorological data are given. Nomenclatural notes about the names C. blitoides and C. humile are provided and neotypifications were proposed using specimens preserved, respectively, at the Herbaria BR and K.

Sempervivum druentianum (Crassulaceae subfam. Sempervivoideae), a new endemic species discovered in the Durance Valley (Dép. Hautes-Alpes, Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France), and description of a new nothospecies

Lorenzo Gallo — 2024-12-30

A new species of Sempervivum was discovered in southern France and is here named Sempervivum druentianum. This new species, which has habitus like that of S. tectorum, is mainly characterised by leaves that are always covered with glandular trichomes and carpels that are glandular on the back. To date, only one population is known, but true or alleged hybrids with other Sempervivum species have been discovered in the surroundings of the type locality of S. druentianum; one of these, S. ×brigantiacum (= S. arachnoideum × S. druentianum), is also present and described here. A key to all taxa belonging to the S. tectorum L. group located in southern France is provided.

Type designation of Helianthemum juniperinum (Cistaceae)

Pedro Pablo Ferrer Gallego — 2024-12-30

The nomenclatural type of the name Helianthemum juniperinum (basionym of Fumana juniperina) is discussed. A specimen included in Candolle’s collection at Geneva Herbarium (G-DC) and collected in Tunisia is designated as the lectotype of the name.

Dionysia × mallahiae (Primulaceae): a new natural hybrid between D. iranshahrii and D. zagrica

Amin Zeraatkar — 2024-12-30

Here we introduce one more hybrid in the section Dionysia, D. × mallahiae, formed via hybridization between parents with different corolla colors, i.e. D. iranshahrii and D. zagrica. The morphological characters of the hybrids are frequently found to be intermediate to those of the two parental species. On the other hand, only two slight morphological novelties were recorded in the hybrids, with having considerably short trichomes and slightly longer glands in all individuals.