Romulea jezzinis K. Addam & M. Bou-Hamdan sp. nov and Romulea libanotica K. Addam & M. Bou-Hamdan sp. nov (Iridaceae), Two New Species from Lebanon

Abstract

Romulea jezzinis K. Addam & M. Bou-Hamdan sp. nov from Kfar Houneh and Aaramta (Jezzine District) and Romulea libanotica K. Addam & M. Bou-Hamdan sp. nov from Jabal Niha and Tawmat Niha (Al Shouf District) are nominated as novel species. Not only do the new two species vary from other existing Romulea in terms of taxonomic structures such as (corm, tunic, leaves, shape of the perianth, segment flower, flower tube, style, filaments, anthers, seeds, color of the pollen and others), but they also vary from Lebanese Romulea. They are depicted by cold winters with frequent precipitation as snow (annual rainfall 600-1000ml). Plant material and morphological analyses are done, measurements, colors, and other details given in the description are based on both herbarium and fresh materials. Morphological data were taken from more than 10 specimens of each. Romulea jezzinis; Plant, green with striped funnel-shaped dark blue, violet blue, dark violet-blue or pale blue flowers. Corm, ovoid asymmetrical, with a narrow semicircle shaped bottom protuberance, corm tunic, 2-4 layers, leathery, brown to deep brown, imbricate; leaves, (aerial part) 4-5, linear, plicate, grooved at upper surface, erect, or recurved, one to 3 times as long as scape; basal leaf transverse section, oval-elliptical, grooves are circular to longitudinal elliptical, filament white speckled with blue or violet blue, thick, sometimes little hairy below, anther, white grooved and stripped on its outer and inner face edges by blue or violet blue, style (at perianth segments), blue or violet blue (pale on its bottom third), glabrous, grooved, much longer than stamens, stigma, branching into 3 short, curved strands and each one branches into two (stigma always overtops anthers), seeds, (up to 24 seeds in each capsule), nearly globular to ovate, pale brown to brown, and has a reticulate-foveate surface. Romulea libanotica; Plant green, with funnel-shaped blue or violet-blue striped white flowers, 80-200 mm high. Corm, ovoid, asymmetrical with a semicircle shaped bottom protuberance up to 3 stems can grow from the same corm at the same time, corm tunic, 3-6 layers, leathery, deep brown, imbricate, leaves, 3-8, linear, plicate, grooved at upper surface, erect, or recurved, one to two and a half as long as scape, inflorescence up to 5 flowers; Anther, 3, pale yellow (with dark yellow pollens), linear, grooved, longer than filament, style (at perianth segments), 1, white, glabrous, non-grooved, much longer than stamens, bifid on its last quarter to form stigma, stigma, 3, branching into 6 short, curved strands, overtops anthers; capsule, 1-5, elliptical with direct pedicel, up to 30 seeds in each capsule, seeds, nearly globular to ovate, brown to reddish brown, and has a reticulate-alveolate surface up to 30 seeds in each capsule.. Voucher specimens (Holotypes) are deposited in K. Addam Herbarium Arts, Sciences and Technology University in Lebanon. More descriptions, illustrations and notes on distribution and ecology are provided inside the publication. Purpose of the study: The purpose of the present work is to inspect the morpho-anatomical features of two species of Romulea to attest the discovery of two new world records. The gathered data and captured photographs of these two new species’ fresh samples resulting from this study will be helpful in the morphological descriptions and the works related to the flora of Lebanon. Most of the anatomical findings are obtained for the first time and the results are reliable sources for identifying Romulea’s new taxa.