Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 148, 229–244. With 23 figures © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 148, 229–244 229 Blackwell Science, LtdOxford, UKBOJBotanical Journal of the Linnean Society0024-4074The Linnean Society of London, 2005? 2005 1482 229244 Original Article A REVISION OF L. VERTICILLATA GROUP L. SÁEZ and M. B. CRESPO *Corresponding author. E-mail: llorens.saez@uab.es A taxonomic revision of the Linaria verticillata group (Antirrhineae, Scrophulariaceae) LLORENÇ SÁEZ 1 * and MANUEL B. CRESPO 2 1 Unitat de Botànica, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. E-08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain 2 Instituto de la Biodiversidad (CIBIO), Universidad de Alicante, E-03080 Alicante, Spain Received February 2003; accepted for publication November 2004 A taxonomic revision of the Linaria verticillata group is presented here. Taxonomic, nomenclatural, morphological, geographical and ecological data are recorded for each taxon. Four taxa (one species with four subspecies) are recognized, and the status of some related taxa is discussed. In addition, some lectotypifications are made and a taxonomic key, descriptions and illustrations of all the accepted taxa are given. The following new combinations are proposed: L. verticillata ssp. anticaria (Boiss. & Reut.) L. Sáez & M.B. Crespo comb. & stat. nov., L. verticillata ssp. cuartanensis (Degen & Hervier) L. Sáez & M.B. Crespo, comb. nov., and L. verticillata ssp. lilacina (Lange) L. Sáez & M.B. Crespo, comb. & stat. nov. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 148, 229–244. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: – endemism – Iberian Peninsula – infraspecific variation – taxonomy. INTRODUCTION The Linaria verticillata group comprises closely related plants inhabiting the Betic and Subbetic mountains of the southern Iberian Peninsula. They are perennial herbs with erect to procumbent stems, predominantly verticillate linear-oblong to elliptical leaves, and mainly yellow to blue-violet or whitish flowers. Taxa in the group show very close similarities in seed-coat sculpturing (Sutton, 1988) and reliable diagnostic characters are based on features of flowers (mainly colour and shape) and indumentum. Three species with remarkable macromorphological similarities have usually been ascribed to the group (Valdés, 1970; Sutton, 1988). The first is L. verticillata Boiss., described from Sierra Nevada and other neigh- bouring Betic ranges (Boissier, 1841). It was charac- terized by glandular-pubescent stems throughout and large yellow flowers, sometimes with dark stripes. Later, L. anticaria Boiss. & Reut. was described from Torcal de Antequera (Málaga province) in southern Spain (Boissier & Reuter, 1852). Its main characters were the glaucous, mostly glabrous stems, fruiting inflorescence glandular-pubescent and usually rather lax and greyish-lilac flowers, typically with a deep bluish-violet palate. Boissier & Reuter (1852) also recognized a variant of L. anticaria (var. angustifolia Boiss. & Reut.) with narrower leaves. Finally, L. lilacina Lange was described from the surroundings of Jaén (Lange, 1854). It differed in having glandular- pubescent stems throughout, dense inflorescence and flowers with orange palate and shorter spur. Morphological attributes underlying the separation of the three taxa are scanty. This has sometimes pro- duced confusion in plant identification (Sánchez & Alcaraz, 1993). Sutton (1988) suggested that further investigation of the limits of L. anticaria was required. The delimitation of L. anticaria and L. lilacina is sometimes controversial and several taxa have been described (cf. Willkomm, 1859; Coincy, 1895; Hervier, 1905; Cuatrecasas, 1929) in order to accommodate morphological variants which differ in some way from the typical forms. Many have no taxonomic sig- nificance, while others appear to be intermediate forms (perhaps hybrid aggregates) with taxa of the L. aeruginea (Gouan) Cav. group, as discussed below. However, Linaria anticaria ssp. cuartanensis Degen & Hervier is perhaps the most remarkable, since it is Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article-abstract/148/2/229/2420338 by guest on 21 May 2020