Taxonomical features of Sesleria calabrica (Poaceae), a neglected species from southern Italy.

A taxonomic study of the Sesleria juncifolia complex in the Italian Peninsula is presented, with a focus on southern Italian populations here named as Sesleria calabrica (DEYL) DI PIETRO comb. nov. et stat. nov. Karyological, morphological and anatomical characters were used for comparative analyses with populations of closely related species, such as S. juncifolia SUFFREN and Sesleria apennina UJHELYI occurring in the Italian Peninsula. Multivariate and univariate morphometric analyses, and qualitative morphological characters showed a distinct position of S. calabrica. Populations of S. calabrica differ in respect to various morphological characters of leaf and spikelet, such as the glume, lemma and palea length, stem length, the leaf sheath, leaf width, leaf thickness, and the total number of vascular bundles. Furthermore, previous karyological studies demonstrated that all the populations of both S. juncifolia and S. apennina examined are octoploid (2n=8x=56), whereas S. calabrica was found to be dodecaploid (2n=12x=84). S. calabrica is strictly confined to the Pollino massif and the Orsomarso mountains in southern Italy, which represent the southernmost limit of the Sesleria juncifolia complex distribution area both in Italy and in Europe. In addition to S. juncifolia and S. calabrica, the recognition of S. apennina as a taxon distinct from S. juncifolia is supported, at least for the area of the Apuan Alps.