Serapias x ruggieroi e Serapias x demericoi, ibridi naturali nuovi del Salento

The genus Serapias L. comprises 30 species (DELFORGE, 2005), has a predominantly Mediterranenan distribution with its center of diversity in southern Italy and the Greek islands (Baumann and Künlele, 1989). Their flowers are characterized by sepals, petals and hypochile, joined together to form a small, dark tube that varies in diameter and depth among taxa (Baumann and Künlele, 1989). The flowers of this genus attract solitary bees to give them a sleeping place (Dafni et al., 1981), a draft free hiding place under bad or rainy weather conditions (Gumprecht, 1977), or a place for thermoregulation, because during the morning hours are warmed by solar radiation to 3°C above the ambient temperature (Felicioli et al., 1998, Dafni et al., 1981). From a cytogenetic point of view, the heterocromatin distribution and the asymmetry of karyotype indicate a rather recent origin for Serapias (D’emerico et al., 2000); this feature, together with the geografical position of Apulia are two important factor that promote the natural hybridization in this genus. Here we describe the result of this process as two new Orchidaceae’s hybryd species, belong to Serapias genus, named Serapias x ruggieroi and Serapias x demericoi through analysis of morphological aspects. The parental species of S. x demericoi are Serapias x parvifloraParl. and Serapias politisii Renz, while the parental of Serapias x ruggieroi are S. parviflora Parl. and S. vomeracea (Burm. f.) Briq subsp. longipetala (Ten.) H. Baumann & Künkele. The distribution range of two parental species makes first hybrid probably quite common but difficult to detect, while, due to the distribution of Serapias politisii, the second hybrid is more rare and localized. S. x ruggieroi and S. x demericoi were found in a small area near S. Cataldo named "macchie di S.Cataldo" mainly characterized by garigues and maquis