See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250612764 Polycnemum Verrucosum (Amaranthaceae), First Record for the Italian Flora and Comparison with Related Species P. Arvense Article in Hacquetia · May 2013 DOI: 10.2478/HACQ-2013-0001 CITATIONS READS 7 86 1 author: Duilio Iamonico Sapienza University of Rome 261 PUBLICATIONS 2,496 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Studies on Duckweeds (ex Lemnaceae Gray) View project Italian Loci Classici Census View project All content following this page was uploaded by Duilio Iamonico on 01 June 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. HACQUETIA 12/1 • 2013, 5–9 DoI: 10.2478/HACQ-2013-0001 Polycnemum verrucosum (AmArAnthAceAe), fIrst record for the ItAlian florA And compArIson wIth relAted specIes P. arvense Duilio IAMonICo1 Abstract Polycnemum verrucosum A. F. Láng is recorded for the first time for Italy (Lazio region, Central Italy). Morpho- logical and ecological characteristics of this species, as compared with the related P. arvense L., are presented and discussed. Taxonomical notes are also provided. Key words: distribution area, Italy, new record, Polycnemum L. Izvleček Vrsto Polycnemum verrucosum A. F. Láng smo prvič zabeležili na ozemlju Italije (regija Lazio, srednja Italija). Prikazali smo morfološke in ekološke značilnosti vrste v primerjavi s sorodno vrsto P. arvense L. Podali smo tudi taksonomske opombe. Ključne besede: razširjenost, Italija, nova najdba, Polycnemum L. 1. InTRoDUCTIon L., Amaranthus L., Gomphrena L.). From the mor- phological point of view, Polycnemoideae and Am­ Polycnemum L. is a genus of 6–8 species distrib - aranthaceae are characterized in having petaloid uted in Europe, central-western Asia, northern tepals (white or pigmented, scarious or papyra- Africa and northern America (Ball 1993, Gelin et ceous) and stame filaments united into a filament al. 2003, Greuter et al. 1984, Shultz 2004). tube [in Chenopodiaceae s. s. tepals are sepaloid Polycnemum (and the related genera Nitrophila (green and herbaceous) and the filaments are not S. Watson and Hemichroa R. Brown) is included united into a filament tube]. Moreover, Polycne­ in Polycnemoideae Raf. Placement and rank of mum has one character of Gomphrenoideae Kostel. this taxon has long been controversial and it (absent in Chenopodiaceae): 2-locular anthers. was included in the family of Amaranthaceae At present, 5 species are recorded in Europe: Juss. (e. g. Boissier 1879, Soriano 1944), Cheno- Polycnemum arvense L., P. fontanesii Durieu & podiaceae Vent. (e. g. Bentham & Hooker 1880, Moq., P. heuffelii A. F. Láng, P. majus A. Brown, Kühn et al. 1993) or Caryophyllaceae Juss. (e. g. P. verrucosum A. F. Láng (Ball 1993, Uotila 2011), Moquin-Tandon 1837) or considered as morpho- of which three (P. arvense, P. majus and P. heuf­ logical intermediates between Amaranthaceae felii) are indicated for Italy (Conti et al. 2005, and Chenopodiaceae (Volkens 1887) and be- Conti et al. 2007, Iamonico 2011a). tween Paronochyeae and Caryophyllaceae (Ael- In this paper P. verrucosum is reported for the len 1960–1961). Recent phylogenetic studies first time for Italy (Lazio region). Taxonomical, (Kadereit et al. 2003) clearly shown the affinity morphological and ecological notes are provided of Polycnemoideae with the genera traditionally as well as the delimitation in comparison with the included in the Amaranthaceae (e. g. Achyranthes related P. arvense. 1 Department DATA, Section Environment and Landscape, University of Rome Sapienza, Via Flaminia 72, 00196-Rome, Italy. [email protected] 5 Brought to you by | Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Biblioteca Alessandrina Authenticated | 151.100.12.9 Download Date | 6/4/13 2:01 PM Hacquetia 12/1 • 2013, 5–9 The work is part of a study carried out by the the measurements (characters nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, author on the family of Amaranhtaceae s. l. in 12, 14, 15) (Fig. 1). Italy (e. g. Iamonico 2010, 2011b, 2012a, 2012b, Iamonico & Jarvis 2012a, 2012b) and on the ge- Polycnemum verrucosum A. F. Láng, Syll. Pl. nus Polycnemum in particular, for the new Italian nov. 1: 179 (1824). Flora (editor S. Pignatti, in prep.). = P. arvense L. var. verrucosum (A. F. Láng) obor- ny, Fl. Mähr.: 334 (1885). Annual (therophyte), to 50 cm. Stem ascendent 2. MATERIAL AnD METHoDS (sometimes erect), branched, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves linear (0.5–1.0 × 3.0–12.0 mm), This paper is based both on the analysis of the plane-shaped, glabrous (sometimes slightly pu- relevant literature and the examination of the bescent), pointed at the apex, usually glaucous. specimens (P. arvense, P. verrucosum) kept in the Inflorescence in terminal leafy spikes; bracteal Herbaria BP, FI, LINN and Ro. leaves ovate-lanceolate (3–5 mm long) 2–3 times The identification of both species were made longer than the perianth, acute; bract of the flow- using the protologues (Láng 1828, Linnaeus ers 2, with lateral membranous borders thinning 1753) and the descriptions in the Flora Europaea to apex hyaline, white, 1.1–2 times longer than the (Ball 1993). perianth; tepals 5, ovate, acute or acuminate (1.5– A morphological analysis of the exsiccata, based 1.8 mm long); fruit ellipsoidal (1 × 1.3 mm), sub- on 15 characters (12 quantitative and 3 qualitative equal to the tepals, indehiscent; seeds lenticular – Table 1) was performed. The data matrix was (1–1.5 mm in diameter), black, fine sculptured. processed by means of the software nCSS 2007 (Hintze 2007). The variability of the characters is Iconography: Aellen (1960–1961). illustrated by box plots and scatter plots. Chromosome number: unknown. Taxonomical notes: Polycnemum verrucosum was Table 1: Characters measured (those labelled with an first described from Hungary in 1824 “… in asterisk are qualitative). plagis arenososis, aridis, comitatus Pestiensis, Tabela 1: Merjeni znaki (zvezdica označuje kvalitativne Cumaniae, Faszygiae” (Láng 1824). Moquin- znake). Tandon (1840) quoted the genus Halimocnemis C. A. Mey. in which Polycnemum was included, 11 habitus (prostrate or ascending)* but the species P. verrucosum was not reported. 12 stem hairness (glabrous or pubescent)* De Candolle (1849) indicates the species in “… 13 branching (very ramified or few ramified)* in arenosis Hungariæ …” and provided an ex- 14 leaf length (mm) tensive description. oborny (1885) recognized 15 laef width (mm) the taxon at variety rank, under P. arvense. The 16 bracteal leaf length (mm) comprehensive European floras (Greuter et al. 17 bract length (mm) 1984, Ball 1993) accepted P. verrucosum as sep- 18 ratio 6/7 arate species. 19 tepal length (mm) Ecology: Field, sandy and gravelly places (Ball 10 ratio 6/9 1993). 11 ratio 7/9 Flowering time: September to December. 12 fruit length (mm) General distribution: Austria, Czech Republic, 13 ratio 7/12 Germany, Hungary, former Jugoslavia, Roma- 14 ratio 9/12 nia, Western and Eastern Russia, Turkey 15 seed diameter (mm) (Greuter et al. 1984, Jalas & Souminen 1980, Ball 1993) and Italy. The Italian record ex- 3. RESULTS AnD DISCUSSION tends to south-western the distribution area of P. verrucosum. The statistical analysis shows a clear separation Distribution in Italy: no former Italian floras re- between the species involved in the study, using ported P. verrucosum [from Bertoloni (1854) to the character no. 10 (see Table 1). The others ones Conti et al. (2005)]. The specimens examined have not statistical significance, showing partial represent the first records for Italy (Lazio re- (characters nos. 6, 7, 8, 11, 13) or total overlap of gion, Central Italy). 6 Brought to you by | Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Biblioteca Alessandrina Authenticated | 151.100.12.9 Download Date | 6/4/13 2:01 PM D. Iamonico: Polycnemum verrucosum, first record for the italian flora and comparison with P. Arvense 5 A) 14 B) maniae arvis …” (Linnaeus 1753). De Candolle 4,5 12 (1849) accepted the species rank for this spe- cies, but he pointed out an high intraspecific 4 10 variability, reporting five varieties: α – multi­ 3,5 8 caule Wallr., β – roseum De not., γ – majus (A. 3 6 Brown) DC., δ – recurvum Gaudin, ε – pumilum (Hoppe ex Mert. & W. D. J. Koch) DC. The 2,5 4 diagnostic features for these taxa are: habitus, 2 2 shape and colour of the leaves, ratio bracts/te- 1,5 0 pals, ratio fruit/tepal. The variability of these P.verrucossum P. arvense P.verrucossum P. arvense characters seems to be continue, except for the ratio bract/tepals that clearly distinguish the 1,9 C) var. majus [De Candolle (1849) reported “Brac­ 1,8 ) teae calycem vix superantes”], now accepted at 1,7 mm 1,6 specific rank (P. majus A. Brown). 1,5 Ecology: Human made habitat, such as unculti- 1,4 vated land or cultivated field, on dry soil (per- 1,3 sonal observation), at 0–1000 m a.s.l. epals length ( T 1,2 Flowering time: July to october. 1,1 General distribution: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, 1 2 3456789 Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Bracteals leaves length (mm) Hungary, Italy, former Jugoslavia, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and European Tur- Figure 1: Box Plots (A: ratio bracteal leaves length/tepals et al. length; B: leaves length) and scatter plot (D: bracteal leaves vs key (Greuter 1984, Jalas & Souminen tepals; black circles for P. verrucosum, white squares for P. ar- 1980, Ball 1993). vense) illustrating the variability of some characters. Distribution in Italy (Conti et al. 2005, Conti et Slika 1: Graf škatla z ročaji (A: razmerje braktealni list/dol- al. 2007, Iamonico 2012c, Iamonico & Bovio žina tepala; B: dolžina lista) in razsevni diagram (D: brakte- 2012): northern (old recorded in Valle d’Aosta alni listi proti tepalom; polni krožci za P. verrucosum, prazni region), Central and Southern Italy (Puglia kvadrati za P.