Leontodon and Scorzoneroides (Asteraceae, Cichorieae) in Italy

Abstract

Sandro Pignatti's Flora d'Italia was published in 1982. In this work, the genus Leontodon was edited by the late Helga Pittoni (Graz). Since then, a large amount of new data about the systematics and taxonomy of Leontodon s.l. have been acquired. The most important new aspect is that, based on molecular data, the former subgenera Leontodon and Oporinia are now regarded as separate genera, Leontodon s.str. and Scorzoneroides, respectively. Moreover, new assessments of some critical taxa resulted in some new names as compared to the first edition of the Flora d'Italia. The changes presented here are not only discussed in comparison with the first edition of the Flora d'Italia but also with regard to its predecessor (Fiori 1927) and to Flora Europaea (Finch and Sell 1976). Apart from a discussion of changes in nomenclature and taxon delimitation, identification keys are presented to distinguish between the genera Leontodon and Scorzoneroides, and to identify their Italian members.

Keywords:

• Leontodon
• Scorzoneroides
• identification keys
• Italian flora
• Cichorieae
• Asteraceae

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the curators of the herbaria APP, B, FI, IB and IBF for access to their collections, the SYNTHESYS programme of the European Union for a grant enabling a research stay at B, Renate Spitaler (Innsbruck) for proof reading and companionship during most of the field trips, and Birgit Gemeinholzer and Norbert Kilian (Berlin) for their hospitality.

Notes

1. Unequaled drawings of hairs of most of the taxa discussed here are provided in Pittoni (1974).

2. Electron-microscopic pictures of the hairs of both species are provided by Mariotti Lippi and Garbari (2004). In order to unambiguously assign both species with a reflected-light microscope, it is recommended using a set of authenticated reference specimens for comparison.

3. Note on L. biscutellifolius DC.: L. biscutellifolius is the taxon traditionally named L. asper (Waldst. and Kit.) Poiret. This taxon has an area of distribution ranging from the Balkans to Crimea and thus does not occur in Italy. The traditional name L. asper is, however, not available at the species level, because there is an earlier homonym by Forsskål (1775), which refers to a different taxon. Based on our studies, the earliest valid name at the species rank available for the former L. asper (Waldst. and Kit.) Poiret in the genus Leontodon is L. biscutellifolius DC.