Biosystematic researches on Allium cupani group (Amaryllidaceae) in the Mediterranean area

Abstract

Allium cupani Raf. is a species complex of the subgenus Allium L., which is taxonomically quite critical mainly for its marked karyological and morphological variability. In the present study, karyo-taxonomic characterization of some peculiar populations of this group from Italian, N African, Balcan and Aegean territories has been performed, using both living plants collected in the field and herbarium material. As a result, ten new species have been recognized and described within the A. cupani complex. They are A. Panormitanum from N Sicily, A. Samniticum from C Italy, A. Mauritanicum from N Morocco and NW Algeria, A. Balcanicum from mountains of Balkan Peninsula, A. Tzanoudakisanum from Aegean area, A. cephalonicum from Cephalonia island, A. Meikleanum from Cyprus, A. Pelagicum from Lampedusa island, A. Maghrebinum from Tunisia and NE Algeria, and A. Tingitanum from N Morocco and NW Algeria. A comprehensive description and detailed illustration, together with significant notes on karyology, phenology, ecology, geographic distribution, and taxonomic relationships are provided for each species.