Biarum dispar (Araceae)
Tuber globose-discoid, 2.5–4 × 2–3.5 cm, mid-brown. Leaves 4–10, hysteranthous, long petiolate, bases encased by 3–5, 8–14( – 16) cm × 3–10( – 15) mm lanceolate sub-fleshy, later papery cataphylls, these pale greenish white at first, drying pale straw-yellow; petiole 10–17 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, adaxial surface strongly channeled distally, expanded into a wide membranous wing proximally, mid-green; leaf lamina oblong-elliptic, 6–8 × 3–3.5 cm, apex cuneate to rounded, base obtuse to sub-acute, c. 3–6 veins per side, margins smooth, lamina mid-green, very rarely bullate. Inflorescence appearing in late summer to autumn, smelling moderately of cattle dung and carrion. Peduncle 3–9 cm × 3–5 mm, clothed by few to many 2–9 cm × 5–12 mm papery, pale creamy white cataphylls. Spathe 8–10( – 14) cm long; spathe limb lanceolate, 6–8( – 12) cm × 4–12 mm, apex acute to acuminate, exterior green ± heavily blotched and stained purple-brown, rarely unstained, interior deep purple-brown, paler distally, rarely entirely dull green; spathe tube oblong-globose, strongly inflated, 2–3 × 1.5–2.5 cm wide, margins fused for ¼ of their length, exterior pale green, occasionally stained purple-brown towards the opening, interior off-white distally, deep purple proximally. Spadix sub-equal to just exceeding the spathe limb, 8–12 cm long; spadix appendix slender fusiform, 6.5–11 cm × 3–5 mm, deep purple-brown. Staminate flowers in a zone 9–13 × 3–6 mm, deep purple. Interstice 12–20 × 3–6 mm, deep purple. Staminodes situated at the base of the interstice, few to many, thickened-filiform, 2 – 10 mm long, deep purple. Pistillate flowers in a hemispherical cluster 2.5–4 × 3–7 mm wide; ovary 2–3 mm long, cream; style 1–1.5 × 0.25 mm, purple, stigma capitate, c. 0.5 mm in diam., grey-purple. Infructescence globose, 1.6–3 cm in diam., consisting of c. 35 berries; berries 4–6 × 4–5 mm, pale whitish lilac when ripe; seed globose, c. 5 mm in diam, testa reticulate, pale brown. 2n = 74 ( Chiappini & Scrugli 1972, Talavera 1976 ).
This interesting species has been much confused with the closely allied Biarum bovei from the eastern Mediterranean. It can be distinguished readily by the interstice which is approximately twice as long as the staminate flower zone, the presence of fewer and more scattered staminodes, and the narrower mature leaf blade. The overall size of the inflorescences has been used previously as a diagnostic feature, B. dispar having a smaller inflorescence than B. bovei.
Sardinia. SW Spain, N Morocco, N Algeria, N Tunisia, N Libya,
Open stony fields, rocky hill slopes, crevices and chimneys in limestone rocks, field margins, track sides, disused olive groves.