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Type: Correspondence
Published: 2012-08-09
Page range: 11–12
Abstract views: 13
PDF downloaded: 1

Lectotypification of the Linnaean name Acanthus spinosus (Acanthaceae)

Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini, 5, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Acanthus spinosus Lectotypification Eudicots

Abstract

The genus Acanthus Linnaeus (1753: 639) (Acanthaceae) is composed of 20 species distributed in Africa, southern Europe, southern Asia, and Australasia (McDade et al. 2005). Linnaeus (1753, 1756) published 5 names under Acanthus [A. dioscoridis Linnaeus (1756: 23), A. ilicifolius Linnaeus (1753: 639), A. maderaspatensis Linnaeus (1753: 639), A. mollis Linnaeus (1753: 639), A. spinosus Linnaeus (1753: 639)] of which two are currently referred to other genera (Jarvis 2007): A. ilicifolius L. is now accepted under Dilivaria Jussieu (1789: 103) as D. ilicifolia (L.) Jussieu (1789: 103), A. maderaspatensis L. under Blepharis Jussieu (1789: 103) as B. maderaspatensis (L.) Roth (1821: 320). One of these names, concerning the European flora, appears to be yet untypified, and it is therefore investigated here. Acanthus spinosus is known in mediterranean and south-eastern Europe (Italy, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Crete, East Aegean islands, Greece), the Asiatic Turkey as well as in Algeria, and is currently accepted at specific rank (e.g., Marhold 2011).