Open AccessTaxonomic investigations on <em>Malva cretica</em> s.l. (Malvaceae)
Author(s) -
Paolo Caputo,
Roberta Vallariello,
Duilio Iamonico
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
anales del jardín botánico de madrid/anales del jardín botánico de madrid
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.189
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1988-3196
pISSN - 0211-1322
DOI - 10.3989/ajbm.2539
Subject(s) - subspecies , biology , mediterranean climate , botany , taxon , ecology
A morphometric analysis has been carried out for the first time in order to investigate the variability of the infraspecific taxa included in the steno-Mediterranean Malva cretica s.l., i.e. M. Cretica subsp. althaeoides, M. cretica subsp. cretica, and the poorly-known M. Cretica var. montana, described from southern Italy. According to our results, M. cretica subsp. althaeoides and subsp. cretica are worth of taxonomic recognition at subspecies rank and occupy respectively the western and the central-eastern sectors of the species range. Concerning M. Cretica var. montana, characterized by some intermediate features, it should be included in M. Cretica subsp. cretica.