Linaria sagrensis
Linaria sagrensis is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is endemic to the Sierra de la Sagra in the northern Granada province of southeastern Spain. First described in 2023 by Blanca et al., the species is found exclusively in high-mountain calcareous screes.
Description
Morphology
A perennial herb characterized by being entirely glandular-hairy. It possesses an intricately branched root system suited for its mountain habitat.
Flowers
The plant features a dense, corymbiform inflorescence. The corolla is relatively small and pinkish-violet with distinct dark veins and a yellow to orange palate. Its spur is notably shorter than the rest of the corolla.
The capsule is globose and glandular-hairy at its apex. Its seeds are large and black to dark greyish, featuring a light-grey wing and a mostly smooth disc with a few small tubercles.
Taxonomy
Classification
It belongs to Linaria section Supinae.
Related species
It is morphologically similar to L. pruinosa, L. nevadensis, L. glacialis, and L. alpina subsp. alpina.
Discovery
The species was formally established in a study published in the Nordic Journal of Botany which also elevated L. aeruginea subsp. pruinosa to the species rank of L. pruinosa.
Distribution and habitat
The species is a narrow endemic, restricted to the Mediterranean high mountains of the Betic Massif. It specifically thrives in the loose limestone rock of the Sierra de la Sagra.