Viola phitosiana Erben

Raab-Straube, Eckhard von & Raus, Thomas, 2022, Euro + Med-Checklist Notulae, 15, Willdenowia 52 (2), pp. 273-299 : 292

Viola phitosiana Erben – Fig. 13.

+ Cr: Greece: Crete (Kriti), regional unit Chania, municipality Platanias, municipal unit Mousouroi, 650 m E of Omalos tavernas/restaurants, 35°20'37.0''N, 23°54'43.4''E, 1060 m, among open tussock-grass in shade of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. trees on flat bottom of large doline, limestone substrate, 21 Apr 2022, Turland 1959 with G. Palimetakis, J. Bienvenu & C. J. Turland (UPA), det. Th. Raus, Berlin, 31 May 2022. – Viola phitosiana is similar to V. arvensis Murray , V. hymettia Boiss. & Heldr. and V. kitaibeliana Schult. Viola arvensis is clearly recognizable by its large calyx appendages, 1/4–2/5 as long as the total length of the calyx and concealing the spur of the lower petal (vs 1/6–1/4 as long as the calyx in the other three species). Viola hymettia is distinguished by having the corolla at least 1.5 times as long as the calyx (vs shorter than to slightly longer than the calyx in the other three species) and calyx appendages not concealing the stout spur. Viola kitaibeliana and V. phitosiana are similar to each other, but V. kitaibeliana has the lower petal 5.5–9 mm long including the slender spur 2–3 mm long, slightly longer than the calyx appendages, whereas V. phitosiana has the lower petal 9–13 mm long including the slender spur 3–5 mm long, much longer than the calyx appendages ( Erben 1985). On 21 April 2022, G.P. was the first to find V. phitosiana at the locality near Omalos. On 4 May 2022, F.S. visited the locality and counted 122 flowering individuals un- der and around a tree of Crataegus monogyna . On 11 May 2022, F.S. revisited the locality and found further plants, always associated with Crataegus trees, never under Acer sempervirens L. or Quercus coccifera L. Photographs by F.S. have been published through iNaturalist (https:// www.inaturalist.org/observations/115439384). The plant from Crete photographed by Y. Zacharakis and currently published online as Viola hymettia (see http://www.cretanflora.com/viola _hymettia .html, accessed 22 Jun 2022) is probably also V. phitosiana . Its identity cannot be definitely confirmed from the two photographs shown because the spur is not visible, but V. hymettia is unlikely because the corolla is scarcely longer than the calyx. The two photographs were taken at 600 m altitude at Dimitriana, near Agia Irini, c. 7.5 km W of the Omalos locality, in 2016 (Y. Zacharakis pers. comm. 2016). Viola phitosiana is endemic to Greece and is now recorded from all Greek floristic regions except the North Aegean Islands, the East Aegean Islands and the Kyklades ( Dimopoulos & al. 2020; Flora Ionica Working Group 2016 +).

G. Palimetakis, N. J. Turland & F. Samaritakis