Genista pichisermolliana Valsecchi 1993

Genista pichisermolliana Valsecchi (1993: 796), Fig. 7

Type:— ITALY. Sardinia: Aritzo, pendici di M. Scova, reg. S. Elias, 20 August 1984, F. Valsecchi & R. Villa s.n. (holotype SS!).

Dwarf shrub, erect, robust, 30–50 cm tall, with branches rigid, with spiny apex, striate, tubercolate, sericeous. Leaves 1-foliate, sessile, stipulate, ovate-lanceolate, sericeous, 5–7 mm, caducous. Inflorescences 3–7-flowered, grouped in the branch terminal part. Bracts ovate-lanceolate, hairy, canaliculate, 4–5 mm long, longer than the pedicel. Bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, acute, 2–3.2 mm, longer than the pedicel, inserted in the upper part of the pedicel. Pedicel 2–3 mm long. Calyx hairy, conic-campanulate, 4–5.5 mm long, with hairs 0.3–0.6 mm long, with fully decurrent veins; lower lip 2.8–3.2 mm with triangular teeth 1-nerved, the central one 1.4–1.6 mm long, the lateral ones 1–1.2 mm long; upper lip shorter than the lower one, 2–2.3 × 1.8–2 mm. Floral buds with wings covered by the standard. Corolla yellow; standard slightly retuse at apex, 9–9.5 × 7–9 mm, sericeous on the back; wings 9.5–10 mm, with a tuft of hairs on the basal gibbosity and ciliate at the basal margin of the back; keel 10–10.5 mm, sericeous on outer faces, with a tuft of hairs on the basal gibbosity. Staminal tube 5.5 mm long, anthers yellow, rounded at apex, elliptical, upper ones 1.4–1.5 mm, lower ones 0.6–0.7 mm. Pistil 10–11 mm, stigma papillose, oblique. Pod sericeous, oblong, apiculate, flattened, pale-brown, 10–16 mm long, 2–4-seeded. Seeds irregular, flattened, brown-olivaceous, maculate, 2–3 × 1.8–2 mm.

Phenology:— Flowering May to July, fruiting July to August.

Karyology:— The somatic chromosome number of Genista pichisermolliana was found 2 n = 18+0-2 B on material from M. Iscova, Aritzo (Villa 1988), sub G. salzmannii, and from Bruncu Spina, Fonni (Cusma Velari et al. 2011).

Seed micro-morphology:— Cell boundaries are distinguishable.Seed coat is homogeneous and appears irregularly polygonal, with anticlinal walls slightly raised, corrugate and smoothed on the top, periclinal walls flattened and strongly rugose (Fig. 4 G–H).

Distribution and Habitat:— This species occurs only in the Gennargenteo biogeographic sector (Fenu et al. 2014), on the chiefly on the Gennargentu massif and neighboring peaks (CE Sardinia) (Fig. 1). Its altitudinal range is comprised between 1000 and 1600 m a.s.l. It grows on many different siliceous substrates, mostly represented by granites, granodiorites and metamorphic rocks. The bioclimate of the dwelled sites is temperate, with thermotype ranging between upper mesotemperate and lower supratemperate, and ombrotype between upper subhumid and lower humid (Bacchetta et al. 2009). In these stand occurs others pulvinate shrubs such as Armeria sardoa subsp. genargentea Arrigoni (1970: 166) Astragalus genargenteus Moris (1827: 11), Plantago sarda C. Presl (1845: 535), Ruta lamarmorae Bacchetta, Brullo & Giusso (2006: 154), and Thymus herba-barona.

Additional specimens examined:— ITALY. Sardinia: Aritzo, 23 June 1973, E. et S. Pignatti, Avanzini, Nimis s.n. (TSB 95273-6!); M. d’Iscudo sopra Desulo, 1300–1400 m, 24 June 1973, E. et S. Pignatti, Avanzini, Nimis (TSB 95277-78!); Fonni (NU), 8 June 1990, L. Mossa s.n. (CAG!); Su Ninnieri (Fonni, Nuoro), 23 May 1994, G. Marras s.n. (CAG!); Monte Spada (NU), 17 June 1996, S. Brullo, G. De Marco & R. Guarino. s.n. (CAT!); Orgosolo, 28 June 1998, G. Bacchetta s.n. (TSB 91819!); Gennargentu, sotto P.ta La Marmora, 8 June 1999, G. Bacchetta, S. Brullo, G. Giusso del Galdo & R. Guarino s.n. (CAT!); Bruncu Spina, bivio strada sterrata per la cima Genna Predu Surdu, Fonni, 7 July 2000, G. Bacchetta, S. Brullo & M. Casti s.n. (CAG!); Gennargentu, sella di P.ta La Marmora, 7 July 2000, G. Bacchetta, S. Brullo & G. Giusso del Galdo s.n. (CAT!); Valico Sa Casa, Aritzo, 16 June 2002, G. Bacchetta, s.n. (TSB 91822-3!); Bruncu Spina, Fonni (NU), 25 June 2003, G. Bacchetta s.n. (CAG!, TSB 91820-1!); Bruncu Spina Fonni, 18 July 2004, G. Bacchetta, S. Brullo & E. Mattana s.n. (CAT!, CAG!); M. te Spada, Fonni (NU), 11 June 2005, G. Bacchetta, G. Mandis & E. Mattana s.n. (CAG!); Gutturu Ereddu, Orgosolo (NU), 12 June 2005, G. Bacchetta, G. Mandis & E. Mattana s.n. (CAG!).