Biarum carratracense (Araceae)
Tuber slightly dorso-ventrally compressed discoid to slightly compressed globose, 1.5–3 × 1–2 cm, mid-brown. Leaves 3–7, hysteranthous, very rarely synanthous, bases encased by 3–4. 7–12 × 1–2 cm, lanceolate, sub-fleshy, later papery, cataphylls, these pale greenish white to dull green, turning pale greyish yellow on drying; petiole 8–15 cm × 2–4 mm, adaxial surface channeled with slightly winged margins distally, expanded basally into a papery wing; leaf lamina elliptic, elliptic-ovate or oblanceolate, 5–12( – 15) × 2–3 cm, c. 6 primary lateral veins per side, margins smooth, lamina rather dull mid-green. Inflorescence appearing in late autumn, 11–17.5 cm long, strongly foetid of horse dung and carrion, peduncle 3–7 cm × 2–3 mm. Spathe 10–17.5 cm long; spathe limb lanceolate, 8–13.5 × 1–2 cm, margins smooth, exterior ± green with much rich purple staining, especially towards the margin, becoming paler towards the base near soil level; spathe tube elliptic-cylindric, slightly inflated, 2–4 × 1.5–2 cm, margins connate for c. ½ their length, exterior off white beneath soil level, exposed portion rich purple, interior white, stained purple at the base and towards the opening. Spadix 10–17 cm long; spadix appendix slender-fusiform, 8–13 cm × 1.4–3.5 mm, deep brown-purple. Staminate flowers in a zone 10–15 × 3–5 mm, anthers cream, stained purple in the region of the connective. Interstice 1–1.5 cm × 2–2.5 mm, purple. Staminodes few, scattered over the lower 1 cm of the interstice and directly above the pistillate fl owers. Pistillate fl owers in a hemispherical cluster c. 5–7 × 6 mm, ovaries ovoid, 0.5–1 mm in diam., purple, style c. 0.5 mm × 0.25, purple, stigma sub- capitate, c. 0.33 mm in diam., pale purple. Infructescence a globose cluster of c. 50 berries 3–3.5 cm in diam.; berries globose, c. 8–9 mm in diam., pale purple; seeds globose, c. 5–5.5 × 5 mm, testa strongly reticulate, mid-brown. 2n = 98 ( Fernandez Piqueras & Ruiz Rejon 1976 & alomeque Messia & Ruiz Rejon 1976 ), c. 96 (Talavera 1976 ), 36 ( Fernandez Casas et al., 1978).
Biarum carratracense has been associated with B. bovei and B. tenuifolium but is quite clearly distinguishable from either. The oblong, slightly inflated spathe tube with the margins connate for over half their length and the fusiform spadix appendix suggest an affinity to B. kotschyi and B. fraasianum , although B. carratracense is geographically isolated from either species. Vegetatively B. carratracense would appear to be closest to B. kotschyi , which has a similar lanceolate-elliptic leaf lamina. However, B. kotschyi has the petioles free to the ground whereas in B. carratracense the petiole bases are often imbricated to form a weak pseudostem. Further, the staminodes are far fewer in B. carratracense than in B. kotschyi ; some material of the Spanish taxon almost lacks pistillodes except for a couple of vestigial bristles on the upper part of the interstice.
SW Spain.
Dry mountain pastures, field margins, track sides in limestone derived terra rossa soils.