A new species of Lavandula sect. Lavandula (Lamiaceae) and review of species boundaries in Lavandula angustifolia

Abstract

A remarkable new lavender from southern Italy which has long been treated as L. angustifolia and superficially resembles this montane species from the French and Italian Alps. However, it differs in key characters, most notably the inflorescence, corolla structure, calyx indumentum, bract form and essential oil profile. It is here described as a new species and thus required review of the current status of the subspecies recognised. The plants endemic to the Pyrenees are raised to species level (L. pyrenaica) for consistency of treatment, supported by morphological and DNA data.