Silene isabellae (Caryophyllaceae), a new campion species from serpentine soils of Albania

Abstract

The new species Silene isabellae is described and illustrated from the Skënderbëut mountain range of central Albania. It grows on the ultramafic mountain slopes around Qafë Shtamë, in the understorey of open Pinus nigra forests and in the rocky grasslands above the forest belt, at 1000–1600 m a.s.l. Silene isabellae is a serpentine endemic likely belonging to section Elisanthe (Fenzl ex Endl.) Ledeb. and shows affinities with the widespread European species S. noctiflora L. It is sharply distinct from the latter species in habit, stem and leaf pubescence, morphology, and biology of the flowers and length of the carpophore. Moreover, the ecology of the two taxa is also contrasting, being S. noctiflora a synanthropic-ruderal, mostly in lowlands. Weaker similarities were also observed with the south European subalpine taxa of the group of S. vallesia L. of section Auriculatae (Boiss.) Schischk., though these are not likely to reflect a real systematic affinity.