Astragalus kamarinensis (Fabaceae), a New Species from Sicily

Astragalus kamarinensis C. Brullo, Brullo, Giusso, Miniss. & Sciandr. sp. nova (Fabaceae) is described and illustrated from Sicily. It grows exclusively on sandy soils, near the ruins of Kamarina, located in the southern part of Sicily. Morphologically, it shows close relationships with A. Stella, A. raphaelis and A. tribuloides, all belonging to A. sect. Sesamei. Several morphological features, chiefly regarding the flowers, legumes and seeds, as well as the micromorphology of the pod indumentum and seed coat, allow to well distinguish this species from the other taxa in the section. A phenetic analysis based on the morphological characters supports our taxonomic conclusions.

[1]  P. Minissale,et al.  Astragalus raphaelis (Fabaceae), a critical species from Sicily and taxonomic remarks on A. sect. Sesamei , 2011 .

[2]  P. Minissale,et al.  Phytogeographic survey on the endemic vascular flora of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily, Italy) , 2011 .

[3]  S. Lozano,et al.  A new species of Astragalus L. sect. Sesamei DC. (Leguminosae) from the southeast of Spain: Astragalus castroviejoi , 2010 .

[4]  D. Podlech.  The genus Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) in Europe with exclusion of the former Soviet Union , 2008 .

[5]  Z. Aytaç,et al.  Seed morphology and its systematic implications for genus Astragalus L. sections Onobrychoidei DC., Uliginosi Gray and Ornithopodium Bunge (Fabaceae) , 2008, Plant Systematics and Evolution.

[6]  S. Sciandrello,et al.  Helianthemum sicanorum (Cistaceae),a new species from Sicily , 2007 .

[7]  R. Karamian,et al.  Astragalus sect. Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran , 2005 .

[8]  S. Zarre.  Hair micromorphology and its phylogenetic application in thorny species of Astragalus (Fabaceae) , 2003 .

[9]  A. Maassoumi.  Astragalus in the old world : check-list , 1998 .

[10]  Giovanni Spampinato,et al.  Considerazioni fitogeografiche sulla flora della Sicilia , 1995 .

[11]  M. Gazer.  Revision of Astragalus L. sect. Sesamei DC. (Leguminosae) , 1993 .

[12]  H. Behnke,et al.  New evidence from the ultrastructural and micromorphological fields in angiosperm classification , 1983 .

[13]  Wilhelm Barthlott,et al.  Epidermal and seed surface characters of plants: systematic applicability and some evolutionary aspects , 1981 .

[14]  T. Chuang,et al.  SEED COAT MORPHOLOGY IN CORDYLANTHUS (SCROPHULARIACEAE) AND ITS TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE , 1972 .