Celtica F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491)

Vázquez, Francisco Maria, Márquez, Francisco, García, David & Oualidi, Jalal El, 2025, A taxonomic revision of Stipeae s. l. tribe (Poaceae) in N Africa, Phytotaxa 699 (1), pp. 1-174 : 26-28

Celtica F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491) .

Type:— Celtica gigantea (Hoffmanns. ex Link) F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491) .

≡ Stipa L. ser. Giganteae Martinovský (1976: 186) .

≡ Stipa L. sect. Giganteae (Martinovský) F.M. Vázquez & Devesa (1996: 163) .

Perennials, caespitose, simple panicle highly ramified, long peduncle. Flower glumes sub-equal, lemma apex dents and palea with two long aristules, homogeneous pubescence in lemma and dorsally in palea, involved margins; anthers apex hairs; callus acute; awn bigeniculate, scabrid, long.

1. Celtica gigantea (Hoffmanns. ex Link) F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491) . ( Figure 8 & 9 )

Type:— PORTUGAL. Setubal, without date, collectors or number. [holotype B (destroyed), lectotype B-W01776-01! (digital imagen), designated here] .

≡ Stipa gigantea Hoffmanns. ex Link (1800: 313) . (Bas.)

≡ Lasiagrostis gigantea (Hoffmanns. ex Link) Trinius & Ruprecht (1842: 96) .

≡ Macrochloa gigantea (Hoffmanns. ex Link) Hackel (1880: 16) .

Note: according to Code (Art. 9.19) (Turland et al. 2018), the lectotype designated by Medina & Aedo (2022: 11) (MA00005273! [digital imagen]), is invalid, because on this herbarium sheet, named “ Avena gigantea sp. n ” by Cavanilles, the original label does not give any information on the origin of the collection, and the number “62” assigned to Link is not contrasted; the elements that support the origins such as type material of Stipa gigantea are poor. The sheet B-W01776-01! ( Stipa gigantea N [Hoffmannsegg]), collected by Hoffmannsegg (and probably Link), with the identification “ Stipa gigantea N”, from Portugal, gives more options for a lectotype of Stipa gigantea , and is designated here (Art. 9.19 of Code (Turland et al. 2018)) and the correct name will be Stipa gigantea Hoffmanns. ex Link.

Culm erect or somewhat geniculate at base, glabrous, 120–340 cm tall; prophylls to 120 mm, acuminate, striate surface, pubescent to tomentose. Leaves with sheaths glabrous, or the lower scabrid, nearly glabrous on the stem, free margin, frequently ciliated; ligule lanceolate, decurrent, 0.4–12 mm long, apex acute to obtuse; vegetative blades culms to 135 cm long, convolute, abaxially glabrous or sometimes scaberulous, adaxially scabrous striated, scabrous-ciliate on the margin, to 14 mm wide extended lamina; fertile blades culms to 32 cm long, plane to convolute, abaxially glabrous to scabrous, adaxially scabrous, striated, scabrous-ciliate on the margin, to 9 mm wide when extended lamina, ca. 5 mm wide when rolled, rigid sharp-pointed acute to obtuse. Inflorescence 20–62 cm long, panicle pyramidal, open, loose, the axis glabrous, alternate branches, slender, flexuous, glabrous to scabrid, spikelet-bearing in the 2/3 of long. Spikelet free, frequently rocked by the wind, the lateral pedicel to 25 mm long, smooth to scabrid; glumes lanceolate, sub-equal, 19–40 mm long, upper> lower, green to purple with hyaline long-acuminate tips, gold when mature, 3 scabrid to smooth ribs; lemma slender, terete to fusiform, ca. 12–22 mm long, surface homogenously villous, bifid apex, with lateral membranous lanceolate apicule to 8 mm, acuminate; callus sharp and slender, 2.5–5.5 mm long, villous with adpressed white hairs; palea elliptic to lineal, 12–24 mm long, dorsally villous, with flexuous hairs to 4 mm, apex bifid with two teeth to 4 mm and two nerves travel the surface from the base to the apex, including the teeth; awn 6–14 cm long, persistent, bigeniculate, the first segment (column) 2–5 cm long, twisted, scabrid, the second segment (genicula) like to first but shorter (<1.5 cm), the third segment (seta) 3–7 cm long, flexuous, angled, gradually less scabrid; lodicules 3, unequal, the two laterals lanceolate acute, 1–2 ribs, apex entire 1–3 mm long, the posterior rounded, oblong, 0 rib, 2.5–3.3 mm long; anthers 9–18 mm long, apex apiculate, bearded with hairs up to 0.7 mm; stigma 2, flexuous, plumose. Caryopsis terete, fusiform, 8–14 mm long, brown to pale brown ( Figure 9 ).

Key to the Celtica gigantea subspecies

1. Anther apex hairs 0.4–0.7(0.8) mm. Awn (7–) 8–14 cm. Glumes 24.5–37(42) mm long ..................... C. gigantea subsp. gigantea .

- Anther apex hairs 0.2–0.35 mm. Awn 4–7(–8) cm. Glumes 19–29(30) mm long .......................................................................... 2.

2. Glume 23–27(30) mm. Panicle 85–95 flowers. Stem 1.8–3.2(3.7) m ................................................ C. gigantea subsp. donyanae .

- Glume (19) 21–26 mm. Panicle (24)35–70(80) flowers. Stem 0.55–1.6 m ...................................... C. gigantea subsp. maroccana .

1a. Celtica gigantea subsp. gigantea (Hoffmanns. ex Link) F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491) . ( Figure 9 (b1– h1))

= Stipa arenaria Brotero (1804: 86) [holotype LISU destroyed ( Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 491)].

= Avena cavanillesii Lagasca (1805: 39) (lectotype MA 5240 !, designated by Vázquez & Devesa (1996: 165).

= Macrochloa arenaria (Brot.) Kunth (1829: 59) .

= Avena striata Schousb. ex Willkomm & Lange (1861: 60) , pro syn.

Stem (0.56–)0.72–1.8(–2.4) m. Panicle to 95 flowers. Glumes 24.5–37(–42) mm. Anthers 10–17 mm, bearded with hairs 0.4–0.7(–0.8) mm long ( Figure 9 (b1–h1)).

Phenology:—Flowering April–May.

Habitat:—Montane and plains areas up to 1700 m a.s.l., on loose, loamy to sandy soils, occasionally clayey, with acid to slightly alkaline pH; usually in open areas, exposed, often with rock outcrops.

Distribution:—[Stenomediterranean-W]. In North Africa: Morocco ( Figure 8 ).

1b. Celtica gigantea subsp. donyanae (F.M. Vázquez & Devesa) F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 492) . ( Figure 9 (b2–h2))

Type:— SPAIN. Almonte, Reserva Biológica de Doñana , laguna de Santa, Ana, 2 May 1990, S. García & F. M. Vázquez s.n. [holotype UNEX 14352 !, designated by Vázquez & Devesa (1996: 165)] .

≡ Stipa gigantea subsp. donyanae F.M. Vázquez & Devesa (1996: 165) . (Bas.)

≡ Macrochloa arenaria subsp. donyanae (F.M. Vázquez & Devesa) Fennane (2008: 265) .

Stem 1.8–3.2(–3.7) m. Panicle 85–130(–140) flowers. Glumes 23–27(–30) mm. Anthers 9–12 mm, bearded with hairs 0.2–0.35 mm long ( Figure 9 (b2–h2).

Phenology:—Flowering April–May.

Habitat:—Coastal areas on maritime sandy soils up to 200 m a.s.l., with acid pH; in open areas, near pools, depressions and small river banks, exposed.

Distribution:—[Stenomediterranean-SW]. In North Africa: Morocco ( Figure 8 ).

1c. Celtica gigantea subsp. maroccana (Pau & Font Quer) F.M. Vázquez & Barkworth (2004: 492) . ( Figure 9 (b3– h3))

≡ Stipa gigantea var. maroccana Pau & Font Quer in Font i Quer (1929: nº 23) (Bas.) (lectotype BC 67570 !, designated by Vázquez & Devesa (1997: 202).

≡ Stipa gigantea subsp. maroccana (Pau & Font Quer) Vázquez & Devesa (1997: 202) .

≡ Macrochloa arenaria subsp. maroccana (Pau & Font Quer) Fennane (2008: 266) .

≡ Stipa maroccana (Pau & Font Quer) Moraldo , in herb. (G180196!).

= Stipa gigantea var. mesatlantica Andreansky (1934: 90) (lectotype BU165655 !, designated by Vázquez & Devesa (1997: 203).

Stem 0.55–1.6 m. Panicle (24–)35–70(–80) flowers. Glumes (19–) 21–26 mm. Anthers 8–11 mm, bearded with hairs 0.2–0.30 mm long ( Figure 9 (b3–h3).

Phenology:—Flowering May–June.

Habitat:—Calcareous mountains in of the Atlantic plains and the Rif region, on sandy to clayey soils with alkaline pH, in open areas> 900 m a.s.l.

Distribution:—[Stenomediterranean-SW]. In North Africa: Morocco ( Figure 8 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Geographic distribution of Celtica gigantea: Celtica gigantea subsp. gigantea (red mark), Celtica gigantea subsp. doyanae (blue mark) and Celtica gigantea subsp. maroccana (yellow mark) in North Africa (from checked herbarium sheets and selected bibliographical data (stars)).

FIGURE 9. Celtica gigantea. a. Plant habitus. b. Spikelets. c. Anthecium + Awn. d. Anthecium open + Anthers. e. Ligule (Sheet + Limb fractions). f. Awn fragment. g. Limb cross section. h. Anther apex. (1). subsp. gigantea. (2). subsp. donyanae. (3). subsp. maroccana. Bars indicate 1 mm in g, and h; the rest 10 mm.