Minuartia globulosa (Labill.) Schinz & Thell.

Raab-Straube, Eckhard von & Raus, Thomas, 2023, Euro + Med-Checklist Notulae, 16, Willdenowia 53 (1), pp. 57-77 : 58-59

Minuartia globulosa (Labill.) Schinz & Thell.

– Fig. 1 .

+ Bu: Bulgaria: E Rhodope mountains, Kardzhali province, Momchilgrad municipality, Zvezdel village, Debelka hamlet, observed in three adjacent microsites: (1) 41°27'19.4''N, 25°30'13.6''E, (2) 41°27'33.9''N, 25°30'09.8''E, (3) 41°27'59.9''N, 25°30'14.8''E, 520– 550 m, open stony and eroded sites, on leaden grey rocks, 14 Sep 2021, completely withered with wellpreserved seeds, Kunev (SO 108173); ibid., 19 May 2022, in pre-flowering stage, Kunev (SO 108164); ibid., 28 May 2022, in flowering stage, Kunev (SO 108165, SO 108172, SOM 177700).

– The species is new to the Bulgarian flora. There is no previous collection from the country according to the examined material at SO, SOA and SOM (herbarium codes follow Thiers 2023 +), nor were any reports traced in the main regional floristic works ( Kožuharov & Kuzmanov 1966; Stoyanov & al. 2021). The species was first noted during phytocoenological studies on chamaephyte- and therophyterich communities with dominance of Satureja pilosa Velen. , on 14 Sep 2021. In the following season, two additional field trips were organized with the aim to collect plant material at the flowering stage and to track its phenology. On 19 May 2022, c. 200 individuals were recorded, all non-flowering. On 28 May, the plants were in the beginning of the flowering period. At that date, the species was recorded in two more microsites on the neighbouring hillslopes, with seven and 70 individuals respectively.

The collected plants completely correspond to the descriptions of McNeill (1967), Halliday (1993) and Kamari (1997), and to the type specimen at the virtual herbarium of the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève (herbarium G, https://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/chg/adetail.php?id=200586). Minuartia globulosa is rather distinct and easily separable from the other representatives of the genus in Bulgaria. It differs from the morphologically close M. montana subsp. wiesneri (Stapf) McNeill by the type of indumentum, composed of glandular-viscid vs eglandular crispate hairs; flower pedicels 2.5–4 mm long vs always less than 2 mm long in M. montana subsp. wiesneri ; calyx base truncate vs rounded; petals 2.5–3 mm long vs petals absent; stamens 5(or 6) vs 10 ( McNeill 1967; Halliday 1993; Kamari 1997). Additionally, the seed micromorphology was studied under SEM ( Fig. 1C–F ). The seeds are dark brown to reddish brown, orbicularreniform, 0.7–0.8 mm wide, lateral surfaces finely granulate, dorsal surface with 2–8 ridges variable in size bearing verrucate, cylindric or narrowly obpyriform ornamentations.

The range of the species includes Croatia, Greece, Crete, the East Aegean Islands, asiatic Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon-Syria and Israel-Palestine-Jordan ( Marhold 2011 +). It is most abundant in Peloponnisos, Greece, and scattered elsewhere ( GBIF 2023). Probably, the closest other reported locality of the species is near Xanthi, Greece ( Strid & Tan 1997: map 316), which is about 70 km SE of the first Bulgarian locality, where M. globulosa grows mostly solitary or in groups of up to 15 individuals on the flat ledges of rocks where fine gravel and plant debris accumulate. Associated species are mostly xerophilous plants or ruderal annuals such as Bromus squarrosus L., Melilotus neapolitanus Ten., Poa bulbosa L., Satureja pilosa Velen. , Sedum album L., S. caespitosum (Cav.) DC. , S. hispanicum L., Thymus zygioides Griseb. and Trifolium striatum L. An abundance of bryophytes and lichens such as Cladonia foliacea (Huds.) Willd. (aggregate) and Racomitrium canescens (Hedw.) Brid. was also noted. At the second and third microsites, Aegilops neglecta Bertol. , Bunium ferulaceum Sm. , Euphorbia taurinensis All. , Fumana procumbens (Dunal) Gren. & Godr. , Geranium columbinum L., Medicago minima (L.) Bartal., Minuartia hybrida (Vill.) Schischk. (= Sabulina tenuifolia (L.) Rchb. subsp. tenuifolia ), Ornithogalum comosum L., Sideritis montana L., Stachys cf. cretica L. and Velezia rigida L. (= Dianthus nudiflorus Griff. ) were additionally recorded. The Bulgarian localities were registered at the northern limits of the range of the species, therefore the species most probably has a restricted distribution in the country.

G. Kunev, G. Petrova & K. Pachedjieva

Figures

Fig. 1. Minuartia globulosa – A: habit of flowering plants; B: general view of habitat; C–F: SEM micrographs of seed surfaces; C, D: lateral view; E, F: dorsal view. – Scale bars: C, D = 500 µm; D, F = 100 µm. – Source of material: Bulgaria, E Rhodope mountains, Kardzhali province, Momchilgrad municipality, Zvezdel village, Debelka hamlet, 14 Sep 2021, Kunev (SO 108173). – Photographs A, B: same locality, 28 May 2022, by G. Kunev.