Agave sisalana (sisal hemp).

Tropical succulent perennial of 1.5-2 m height, with thick leaves in a basal rosette of elongated sword-shaped leaves from the base. Stems: Two to three years after transplanting, a 20 cm tall stem is formed, which will reach a height of about 1.2 m when flowering. White, fleshy stems develop from underground buds at the base of the plant, first growing sideways and then upwards to form new plants. These new plants are known as suckers (DAFF, 2015). Trunk: The plant base is a short trunk (30-150 cm), from the top of which the spirally arranged leaves grow (DAFF, 2015). The components of the dry weight of sisal fibre are approximately 55-65% α-cellulose, 11-18% hemicelluloses, 7-15% lignin, 1% pectin and 1-8% ash (Elzebroek and Wind, 2008). Leaves: Stiff, heavy, persistent leaves that are 0.6-1.2 m long, 10.2-20.3 cm wide, and 2.5-10.2 cm thick when mature. Leaves are spirally arranged around the trunk, greyish-green in colour and covered by a layer of wax. Leaves contain coarse, cream-coloured or pale-yellow fibres (3%) (DAFF, 2015). Young leaves may have small spines along their margins; they disappear when the plant matures. Leaves have a terminal, dark brown, rigid, very sharp spine, 2-3 cm long. The cross-section at the base of the leaf resembles a flattened triangle (Elzebroek and Wind, 2008). Inflorescences: A large panicle with flowers arranged on the terminal portion in dense clusters, sessile, 4-5 cm long. Perianths with 6 segments, 6 stamens, filaments longer than the perianth segment, 3-4 cm long anthers. Style exserted, stigma 3-lobed (EOL, 2018). It only flowers once at around 2 years. Before flowering, a flower stalk of 4.5-6.0 m develops from the growth point. The flower stalk subdivides to form branches that bear the flowers. The flowers do not produce seed, but form bulbils, which are used for reproduction. Bulbils are borne in the axils of the bracteoles of the inflorescence after flowering. Flowers are yellowish green, with reddish filaments. Roots: A. sisalana has a shallow, fibrous root system up to 60 cm deep. The 2-4 mm thick root arises from leaf scars at the base of the bole beneath the soil surface, and extends up to 5 m horizontally way from the mother plant, forming suckers. These can be used for propagation (DAFF, 2015). Sisal produces subterraneous rhizomes from buds in the axils of the lower leaves. Along the rhizomes there are buds that may grow into new plants, forming colonies. Most of the roots are concentrated in the upper 40 cm of the soil, where they spread horizontally up to 5 m. A number of roots grow deeper than 40 cm, which results in good anchorage (Elzebroek and Wind, 2008). Fruit: This species is monocarpic (i.e., dies after fruiting). Fruits are capsules up to 6 cm long, 2-2.5 cm diameter, stipitate and beaked. Capsules rarely formed, and seeds (if any) are probably not viable. Vegetative bulbils are commonly produced below the flowers in the axils of bracts (Weber, 2003; Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong, 2005).

Statistical analyses of morphological variation in the Gymnopodium floribundum complex (Polygonaceae): definition of three subspecies

Background and Aims: Morphological variability in Gymnopodium floribundum along its distribution area has been the source of taxonomic and nomenclatural inconsistencies, sometimes recognizing up to three species and two varieties. In this paper we present morphometric analyses of variation in 224 specimens of G. floribundum in order to determine the existence of morphological patterns that correspond to geographically structured phenotypic diversity.Methods: The data matrix consisted of 224 specimens and 32 characters, 21 were quantitative and 11 qualitative. A dendrogram was estimated with UPGMA’s algorithm and the Gower´s coefficient. The 21 quantitative characters were subjected to principal components analysis. With the groups identified in the dendrogram, we performed a PERMANOVA using all quantitative characters. Canonical Variate Analyses of leaf shape and perianth segment shape of all specimens were executed.Key results: The results of multivariate analyses suggest the existence of three phenetic groups, which mostly correspond to three geographic regions: Belize, the Pacific Coastal Plain and the Yucatán Peninsula. These groups are distinguished by the presence or absence of indument on leaf blade, ochrea and petiole, the distances between the floral fascicles, and the length and width of the external and internal segments of the perianth. Two of the geographic groups correspond to infraspecific taxa previously recognized by Standley and Steyermark. Our distances and shape morphometric analyses uncover a third group from the southern Pacific region which presents novel characters.Conclusions: Based on these results we raise the rank of two varieties G. floribundum var. antigonoides and G. floribundum var. floribundumto subspecies, and propose to recognize a new third subspecies: Gymnopodium floribundum subsp. chiapensis.

Crocus baalbekensis K. Addam & M. Bou Hamdan sp. Nov and its three forms (IRIDACEAE), new endemic species and forms from Lebanon, joined the Lebanese Flora

Crocus baalbekensis K. Addam & M. Bou Hamdan sp. Nov is nominated as a novel species in addition to its three forms from Baalbek District, northeast of Lebanon. The new species resembles Crocus aleppicus and Crocus hyemalis but varies in terms of phytogeography, phenology, and some taxonomic structures such as (corm, tunic, leaves, and shape of the perianth, segment and others). Thousands of this new species were perceived in countless villages in the northern city of Baalbek. It grows in cold semi-arid climates in stony grasslands, tundra where trees are absent. Plant material and morphological analyses were done, measurements, colors, and other details given in the description are based on both herbarium and fresh materials. Morphological data were taken from more than 10 specimens. The flower is 1-6, 30-40mm tall, white, fragrant (Fresia smell), corm oblong conical about 20-26mm x 14-20mm in diameter. Corm tunic 4-10 layers, brown, extended neck 10-20mm, great build-up of old tunics, coarse parallel fibers, not glued together, with cross-links. Leaves 4-12 (present at flowering), green, glabrous, white stripe about 1/4 of leaf keels, Spathe, 3-4, membranous white to pale yellow pipe. Outer perianth segment, 3, oblanceolate, abaxial side is colored by yellow, mottled by dark blue–violet, middle (1 to 3) stripe of dark violates veins continue to the segment, filament, 3, deep yellow, Anther, wide, arrow shape, longitudinally striped in black and yellow. Style 1, deep yellow to orange, sometimes striped by thinner black lines, divided to 3 stigmas, equal or longer than the stamen. Stigma (each one) is branched to 3-6 short strands. Voucher specimen (Holotype) is deposited in K. Addam’s Herbarium Arts, Sciences and Technology University in Lebanon, Accession No.: 22-1-17-58-001. The three forms resemble Crocus baalbekensis but differ in the color of the tepals.