Morphological and molecular data support recognition of a new rupicolous species of Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) from the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

A new rupicolous species, Pinguicula saetabensis, belonging to P. sect. Pinguicula is described from calcareous cliffs of central-southern Valencia province, in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. It has previously been confused with P. mundi and P. vallisneriifolia, two close allies endemic to southern Spain which share some morphological traits and a similar habitat. However, some peculiarities allow recognition of those Valencian plants at the specific rank. Data on morphology, ecology, biogeography and conservation are reported for the new species, and its taxonomic affinities are discussed on the basis of phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Furthermore, the presence of one population of P. vallisneriifolia is confirmed in that province, also based on morphological and molecular data.

Keywords:

• Carnivorous plants
• endemics
• nrDNA ITS
• Western Mediterranean flora
• plant conservation
• phylogenetics
• Spain
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The curators of all cited herbaria are kindly thanked. We are grateful to Josep E. Oltra and Albert Navarro (Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain) for providing photographs of P. saetabensis in habitat. P. Pablo Ferrer-Gallego and Inmaculada Ferrando (BGFSV, CIEF-Seed bank, Generalitat Valenciana) forwarded plant material and seeds samples of P. saetabensis and P. dertosensis. Emilio Laguna, P.P. Ferrer-Gallego and Josep E. Oltra (Generalitat Valenciana) supplied data on population biology and conservation activities carried out on the newly described species. Conselleria de Vivienda, Obras Públicas y Vertebración del Territorio (Generalitat Valenciana) provided us with collection permits. Banc de Dades de la Biodiversitat (Generalitat Valenciana) is also acknowledged for data accessibility.