208 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021

Acta Bot. Croat. 80 (2), 208–214, 2021   CODEN: ABCRA 25
DOI: 10.37427/botcro-2021-025 ISSN 0365-0588
 eISSN 1847-8476

 

Habrosia (Caryophyllaceae) a monotypic genus 
endemic to Western Asia: morphological and 
molecular remarks
Duilio Iamonico

University of Rome Sapienza, Department of Planning, Design and Technology of Architecture, via Flaminia 72, 00196 
Rome, Italy

Abstract – Habrosia (Sagineae, Caryophyllaceae) is a genus that includes only H. spinuliflora, a species occurring in 
Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey (Irano-Turanian floristic chorological element). Based on the available molecu-
lar data published in 2011, Habrosia appears to be nested in a Minuartia-clade, which includes taxa currently recog-
nized under the genus Sabulina. Consequently, Habrosia should be treated as a genus to be included in Sabulina. 
However, the molecular tree published in 2011 considered only 9 Sabulina members whereas, according to the current 
concept, Sabulina is a genus comprising about 65 species. Unfortunately, the molecular phylogeny including a larger 
Sabulina sample published in 2014 did not include H. spinuliflora and the taxonomic position of Habrosia remains, 
therefore, uncertain. With the aim of verifying the correct position of Habrosia in the tribe Sagineae with respect to its 
relationship to Sabulina, a comprehensive molecular investigation based on ITS sequences, linked to detailed mor-
phological data, is presented. The results obtained revealed that Habrosia is not part of Sabulina. A detailed descrip-
tion of H. spinuliflora, its ecological preference, and a distribution map are provided. Eventually, the name Arenaria 
spinulifolia (basionym of H. spinuliflora) is lectotypified on a specimen preserved at G (barcode G00212963).

Keywords: Arenaria spinulifolia, Iraq, ITS, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, typification.

Introduction
The family Caryophyllaceae Juss. comprises ca. 100 gen-

era and 3000 species, occurring mainly in the northern 
hemisphere (Hernández-Ledesma et al. 2015). Caryophyl-
laceae is monophyletic as circumscribed by Bittrich (1993), 
but the traditional recognition of three subfamilies (Alsi-
noideae Fenzl, Caryophylloideae Arnott, and Paronychi-
oideae Meisner; see e.g., Bittrich 1993) based on features of 
stipules, petals, sepals, and fruits does not provide mono-
phyletic groups and should be replaced with the tribe-based 
scheme as reported by Harbaugh et al. (2010) and confirmed 
by subsequent studies (e.g. Greenberg and Donoghue 
2011). At genus rank, several studies have been carried out 
on  Arenaria L., Minuartia L., Dianthus L., Gypsophila L., 
 Polycarpon L., Silene L., etc. (see e.g., Kool et al. 2007, 
 Iamonico 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, Dillenberger and 
 Kadereit 2014, Iamonico and Domina 2015, Iamonico et al. 
2015, Sadeghian et al. 2015, Dillenberger and Rabeler 2018, 
Madhani et al. 2018), but various questions are still open.

As part of the ongoing studies on Caryophyllaceae (e.g., 
Iamonico 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, Iamonico and 
Domina, 2015), I here present a note about the monotypic 

genus Habrosia Fenzl [including the species H. spinuliflora 
(Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl], since some issues about its position in 
the tribe Sagineae J.Presl still need clarification. The aims of 
the research are: 1) to verify the correct position of  Habrosia 
in the tribe Sagineae with special regards to its  relationship 
to Sabulina, 2) to consider the morphology of H. spinuliflora 
in comparison with its position in the  molecular tree, 3) to 
clarify the identity of the name of  Arenaria spinuliflora Ser. 
ex DC. (basionym of H. spinuliflora).

Materials and methods
The present research is based on both the analysis of the 

relevant literature and the examination of the specimens 
preserved at BAG, G, MO, P, SAV, and W (codes according 
to Thiers 2021-onward).

The ITS sequences, used for the alignment and phylo-
genetic reconstruction, were publicly available in GenBank 
(see Smissen et al. 2003) and refer to 65 members of 
 Sabulina Rchb., Colobanthus Bartl., Drypis L., Facchinia 
Rchb.,  Habrosia, Minuartia, McNeillia Dillenb. & Kadereit, 

* Corresponding author e-mail: d.iamonico@yahoo.it



MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR REMARKS ON HABROSIA

ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021 209

Sagina L., and (outgroups) Bufonia tenuifolia L. and Cherleria 
garckeana (Asch. and Sint. ex Boiss.) A.J. Moore and  Dillenb. 
RAxML v8.2.12 (Stamatakis 2014) was run under the 
GTRGAMMA model (bootstrapping was stopped automati-
cally) for phylogenetic reconstruction.

The distribution map was prepared using Google Earth 
Pro (2021). Data derive from both herbarium specimens and 
literature.

The articles cited throughout the text follow the Inter-
national Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants 
(Turland et al. 2018, hereafter as ICN).

Results

Literature data

Arenaria spinuliflora Ser. ex DC., after its original de-
scription in the 1st volume of Candolle’s Prodromus 
( Candolle 1824: 406), was treated under the genus Arenaria 
up until 1833, when Fenzl (1833: 57) proposed transferring this 
taxon to the genus Alsine L. (note that neither morpholog-
ical information nor a general reason about this nomenclat-
ural choice was given by Fenzl 1833). No subsequent papers 
or monographs, in which Fenzl’s Al. spinuliflora was accept-
ed, have been traced. Ten year later, Fenzl (1843: 323–324) 
validly described the new genus Habrosia to accomodate 
Candolle’s species, correcting his previous choice under 
Alsine. A detailed generic description was provided, as well 
as a diagnosis and description of his H. spinuliflora (Ser. ex 
DC.) Fenzl. The genus Habrosia has been accepted until to-
day (see e.g., Hernández-Ledesma et al. 2015, Rabeler 2020).

At suprageneric rank, Habrosia spinuliflora is currently 
to be included in the tribe Sagineae, together with Sagina, 
Colobanthus, Sabulina, and Bufonia Sauvage. Fenzl (1843: 
326) proposed to treat his new genus Habrosia as belonging 
to a new subtribe (named “Habrosieae”) of the tribe Scler-
antheae Link. In the same year, Endlicher (1843), proposed 
transferring Fenzl’s subtribe into tribe rank [Habrosieae 
(Fenzl) Endl.]. More recently, Novosel (1982) published 
“Habrosieae Novosel, tribus nov.” which would be morpho-
logically similar to the tribe Pollichieae DC. (including the 
genus Pollichia Aiton) from which it would differ by the in-
dehiscent fruit, absence of sterile branches, occurrence of 
petals in flowers, and 1-4 ovules [see the diagnostic key 
(steps 1-3) provided by Novosel 1982: 222]. According to 
Art. 6.3 (Note 2) of ICN, Novosel’s name “Habrosieae” is an 
isonym (and therefore invalid) being based on the same type 
(H. spinuliflora) of Endlicher’s name.

The first authors to have included Habrosia in a molec-
ular analysis were Smissen et al. (2003) in their study on the 
genus Scleranthus L. where Fenzl’s genus resulted to be sis-
ter of Drypis.

A more detailed study was carried out by Greenberg and 
Donoghue (2011) who investigated many samples of Cary-
ophyllaceae members (630 accessions) and revealed that 
Drypis (a monotypic genus with Drypis spinosa L.) was ba-

sal to a well-supported clade (bootstrap value: 91) including 
species of Sagina, Colobanthus, Minuartia, Habrosia, and 
Bufonia, plus Arenaria fontinalis (Short and R.Peter) Shin-
ners. This clade corresponds to the tribe Sagineae.

Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014), who investigated in 
detail the genus Minuartia, did not consider the genus 
 Habrosia in their analysis. However, the species of Minuartia, 
included in the tribe Sagineae by Greenberg and Donoghue 
(2011), were treated by Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) as 
belonging to the resurrected genus Sabulina Rchb. In con-
trast to Habrosia, Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) included 
Arenaria fontinalis in their analysis, which was also inves-
tigated by Greenberg and Donoghue (2011), and confirmed 
that it is to be treated as a member of Sabulina and, in fact, 
a new combination, S. fontinalis (Short and R. Peter)  Dillenb. 
and Kadereit, was proposed.

Based on Greenberg and Donoghue (2011), Habrosia 
should be a genus to be included in Sabulina.

Molecular data

Greenberg and Donoghue (2011: 1642, Fig. 2) considered 
nine members of Sabulina (sub Minuartia spp.). However, 
according to the current concept, Sabulina is a genus com-
prising ca. 65 species (Hernández-Ledesma et al. 2015, Rabe-
ler 2020). As a consequence, the position of Habrosia in the 
ITS tree (clade Sagineae) published by Greenberg and Dono-
ghue (2011) cannot be considered as conclusive. As discussed 
above (see paragraph “Literature data”), Dillenberger and Ka-
dereit (2014) studied the majority of the Minuartia s.l. taxa, 
and included in their analyses the Sabulina clade by Green-
berg and Donoghue (2011, sub Minuartia), reaching the con-
clusion that these taxa are to be transferred to a different ge-
nus, i.e. the resurrected Sabulina. However, Habrosia was not 
included in the study by Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014), 
and an indirect inclusion of Habrosia into Sabulina would 
represent a risk from the taxonomical point of view.

All things considered, I decided to merge the molecular 
data of  Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) and Greenberg and 
Donoghue (2011) in a single matrix and run a new compre-
hensive tree to verify if Habrosia is actually nested in the 
Sabulina clade or not. The results obtained (Fig. 1) reveal 
that Habrosia is not nested in the clade comprising the 
members belonging to Sabulina, but is in an unresolved po-
sition outside of Sabulina.

Morphological data

Starting from important works by McNeill (1962, 1967), 
the genus Minuartia (at that time morphologically related 
to Arenaria), was later accepted by most authors until the 
molecular studies by Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014). 
These latter authors demonstrated that Minuartia is highly 
polyphyletic, and 11 different genera were recognized and 
later accepted by many authors (e.g., Iamonico 2014, Legler 
and Dillenberger 2017, Moore and Dillenberger 2017, 
 Dillenberger and Rabeler 2018).



IAMONICO D.

210 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021

Among the resurrected genera, there is Sabulina which 
comprises McNeill’s sects. Acutif lorae (Fenzl) Hayek, 
 Alsinanthe (Fenzl) Graebn., Greniera (Gay) Mattf., Sabulina 
(Rchb.) Graebn., Sclerophylla Mattf., and Tryphane (Fenzl) 
Hayek, as well as Stellaria fontinalis Short & R.Peter (Dil-
lenberger and Kadereit 2014, Hernández-Ledesma et al. 
2015: 330). Sabulina can be morphologically distinguished 
in having the following characters (see Dillenberger and 
 Kadereit 2014: 80-81): stems neither spiny nor quadrangular, 
leaves linear to subulate, flowers white without episepalous 
staminoids, nectary glands not cup-shaped, calyx not hard-
ened at the base, sepals acute and 1–3-veined, petals usual-

ly not exceeding the sepals, styles 3 and free, fruit dehiscent 
(capsule) 3-toothed.

According to my examination of herbarium specimens, 
Habrosia differs from Sabulina by the following characters, 
which have a high taxonomic value in Caryophyllaceae (see 
e.g., Dillenberger and Kadereit 2014, Hernández-Ledesma 
et al. 2015): apex of the sepals [awned (awns about 2/3 as 
long as the membranous part of the sepals) in Habrosia vs. 
not awned in Sabulina], number of styles (2 vs. 3), and fruit 
[indehiscent (utricule) in Habrosia vs. dehiscent (capsule) 
in Sabulina].

Fig. 1. Maximum likelihood phylogeny based on ITS sequences obtained with RAxML under the GTRGAMMA model. Bootstraps 
values are shown. Arrow indicates the position of Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl.



MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR REMARKS ON HABROSIA

ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021 211

Typification of Arenaria spinuliflora

Arenaria spinuliflora Ser. ex DC. [basionym of Habrosia 
spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl] was validly published by 
Candolle (1824: 406) who provided a short diagnosis and 
the provenance (“in Oriente”) and cited a syntype (“v. s. 
[ vidi sicco] comm. à cl. Rosseau”). Candolle (1824) reported 
“Ser. mss.” just after the binomial, so referring to an unpub-
lished Seringe’s manuscript.

Tropicos (2021) does not list the name Arenaria spinuli-
flora, erroneously reporting “Habrosia spinuliflora Fenzl” 
and citing, as syntypes, a specimen at MO (barcode 
MO256214, available at http://legacy.tropicos.org/Im-
age/59784) collected by T. Kotschy (no. 120) in Aleppo 
( Syria) in April 20, 1841. However, not only did Fenzl (1843: 
323–324) not propose a new species (rather a new combina-
tion of Candolle’s name), but the cited specimen of Kotschy 
(MO256214) cannot be regarded as syntype (or included in 
the original material) since it was not cited by Candolle 
(1824: 406) but only by Fenzl (1843). Also The Plant List 
(2013) and IPNI (2021-onward) accepted the citation 
“Habrosia spinuliflora Fenzl” [note that The Plant List (2013) 
reported, as synonym of “Habrosia spinuliflora Fenzl”, the 
name Arenaria spinuliflora which is therefore (and wrongly) 
considered as heterotypic synonym]. Among the main on-
line database of plant names, only POWO (2021-onward) 
correctly cited the name by Fenzl (1843) which is considered 
a new combination of Candolle’s name (basionym).

I traced one sheet at G (barcode G00212963) bearing two 
plants which are clearly part of the same gathering. In fact, 
both the plants were collected by M. Rousseau in “Orient” in 
1818. G00212963 is part of the original material for Arenar-
ia spinuliflora, matches Candolle’s diagnosis (1824: 406), and 
it is here designated as the lectotype (Arts. 9.3 and 9.4 of 
ICN). In addition, an original label by Seringe (“A. [Arenar-
ia] spinuliflora Ser.”) occurs on the right-corner of G00212963, 
supporting the choice of this specimen as lectotype.

Taxonomic treatment

Habrosia Fenzl., Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 1: 323. 1843.
Original type: Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl.

Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl, Bot. Zeitung 
(Berlin) 1: 323-324. 1843 (as “Habrosias-pinuliflora” which 
is a typographic error) ≡ Arenaria spinuliflora Ser. ex DC., 
Prodr. [DC.], 1: 406 (1824) ≡ Alsine spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) 
Fenzl, Vers. Darstell. Alsin.: 57 (1833), fig. 2).

Lectotype (designated here) – Unknown country,  Orient, 
1818, M. Rousseau s.n. (G00212963!).

Description – Annual herb, erect, 4–15 cm tall. Stems 
filiform, dichotomously branched, slightly purple in colour, 
glabrous to sparsely pubescent [trichomes short, uniseriate, 
multicellular, eglandular, see Chandra et al. 2019]. Leaves 
opposite, setaceous, 0.5–2.0(–2.5) cm long, up to 0.5 mm 
width, connate at the base, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, 
sessile, margins entire, apex obtuse. Stipules adnate to the 
margins at the base of the leaf, with membranous borders. 

Inflorescences 4–10-flowered, terminal, lax; bracts leaf-like, 
shorter than leaves (ca. 3 mm long). Flowers peryginous, on 
pedicels up to 6 mm long; sepals 5, glabrous, ovate-sublan-
ceolate, 1.5–2.5(–3.0) mm long, 1(–3)-veined, membranous 
at the margins, apex awned, 2/3–1 as long as the membra-
nous part of the sepals; petals 5, ovate-rounded, 1.0–1.5 mm 
long, shorter than sepals, white, entire; stamens 5, alternate 
to the sepals, with distinct glands attached to the adaxial 
surface extending in front of petal bases; styles 2, free, very 
short; ovary small, up to 1 mm long, subsessile, each ovary 
including 2 ovules. Fruit indehiscent nutlet, ovoid, ca. 1 mm 
long; seed 1 per fruit, globose.

Pollen grain spheroidal, diameter about 27 μm, polypo-
rate with 12–13 pores, each pore circular, in diameter about 
4 μm, granulate; interpolar distance 5–8 μm. Exine ca. 3 μm 
thick, tectate. Sexine ca. 2.5 μm thick, punctulate. Tegillum 
< 0.5 μm thick with minute spines. Bacula broader at the apex 
than the base (Chanda 1962: 73–74, and Pl. 3, Figs. 10–12).

Etymology – From the Greek Habros (χάβρος) which 
means “delicate, graceful”, presumably referring to the 
thinness of the plant, especially of stem and leaves.

Fig. 3. Distribution map of Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) 
Fenzl. Scale bar: 200 km.

Fig. 2. Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. ex DC.) Fenzl from Mardin, 
SE-Turkey. A – habit, B – detailed of the inflorescence (photo by 
Musa Geçit, @MusaGeçit).



IAMONICO D.

212 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021

Vernacular names – Çöl kumotu (Turkish; Ekim 2012), 
Western Asian sandwort (English common name, here pro-
posed).

Habitat and phenology – Rocky limestone slopes, gullies, 
scrubs, calcareous steppe, arable field, open banks, 300–1500 
m a.s.l. Flowering and fruiting times March to June.

Distribution and chorology – NE Iran (see also Rechinger 
et al. 1988), N Iraq (see also Blakelock 1957, Ghazanfar and 
Edmandson 2016), C- and NW Syria (see also Boissier 1867, 
Post 1932), NE Lebanon (see also Musselman 2011), SE Tur-
key (see also Davis 1988, Kaya and Ketenoğlu 2010, Bakis et 
al. 2011, Ekim 2012) plus Mt Taurus (Fig. 3). According to 
Takhtajan (1986), the distribution area of Habrosia spinuli-
flora is included in the Irano-Turanian floristic region, West-
ern Asiatic subregion, Mesopotamian Province.

Additional specimens – Iran: Kurdistania Persica: mon-
tes supra pagum Režab dit. Kasr-i-Širin, in lapidosis, 05 May 
1910, F. Nábělek 4114 (SAV0005141!). Iraq: in montis Kuh-Se-
fin reg. infer. Supra pagum Schaklava (ditionis Erbil), 1050 
m, 15 May 1893, J. F. N. Bormüller 949 (P05380908!); ibidem 
(P05380911!); Mindan, 20 April 1947, Bradburne 44 (BAG); 
Khormal, Sulaimaniya liwa, 900 m, 21 April 1947, Rawi 8857 
(BAG); Jabal Sinjar north of the town, Mosul liwa, 900 m, 
coppiced Quercus aegilops forest on limestone, localy abun-
dant, 26 May 1948, C. C. Gillet 11091 (BAG); Acra, Mosul li-
wa, 30 May 1948, Rawi 11305 (BAG); Bikhair Mt., 900 m, 03 
July 1957, Rawi 23144 (BAG); Jabal Maqlub, 550-750 m, 17 
April 1958, Shahwani 25204 (BAG); Serkupkan Village c. 7 
km NW of Rania, on hillside, Rawi 28533 (BAG); Dokan, 
near water, hillside, 15 May 1971, Omar and Karin 38029 
(BAG); 20 km to Dahuk, clay soil wheat field, 310 m, 15 April 
1980, Al Kaisi 52008 (BAG); Jebel Sinjan, racky clay moun-
tain, 16 April 1980, Al Kaisi 52034 (BAG); bidem, 18 April 
1980, Al Kaisi 52224 (BAG). Lebanon: ad Antilibani radices 
occidentales, in declibvitatibus supra Baalbek, 1150-1300 m, 
20 May 1910, J. Bornmüller 11506 (P05380909!); Baalbek, 11 
May 1933, M. R. Gombault 2233 (P05110463!); ibidem 
(P05110464!). Syria: In collibus lapidosis pr. Aleppum, 20 
April 1841, T. Kotschy 120 (P05049676!, as “Habrosyne 
spinufiflora”); ibidem (P00712781!); ibidem (P00712782!); 
ibidem (P00712783!); ibidem (MO256214!); Aleppo, in 
graminis, 1330 ped. (= feet), 24 March 1865, C. Haussknecht 
s.n. (P05380913!, the nineteen plants on the botton-half of 
the sheet); Syria borealis, Aleppo, 1865, A. de Bunge s.n. 
(P00712788!); Dans Djebel Belas, 28 May 1895, coll. illeg. 
2964 (P05380913!, the seven plants of the top-half of the 
sheet); Alep., 1834, A. Montbret s.n. (P00712786!); ibidem 
(P00712787!); Alep., s.d., s.coll. 590 (P00712785!); Alep., s.d., 
A. Montbret s.n. (P05380910!). Turkey: Mont Taurus, 1837, 
M. Aucher-Eloy 590 (P00712784!); Birecjik: Djebel Taken, 30 
April 1888, O. Stapf 461 (P05380912!); ibidem (P05380915!).

Discussion
The available molecular data for Habrosia placed this 

genus as sister of Drypis (Smissen et al. 2003) or Minuartia 

s.l. (tribe Sagineae; Greenberg and Donoghue 2011). More 
recently, Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) resurrected the 
genus Sabulina in which to place the Minuartia species in-
cluded in the tribe Sagineae by Greenberg and Donoghue 
(2011). Although Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) did not 
consider the genus Habrosia in their analysis, Habrosia 
should be indirectly treated as a genus to be included in 
 Sabulina based on published data. On the contrary, the 
 phylogenetic tree obtained in the present study, which 
 derives from a single matrix including the sequences by 
both  Dillenberger and Kadereit (2014) and Greenberg and 
 Donoghue (2011), shows that Habrosia cannot be merged 
with Sabulina and it should be left separate. This result 
highlights the relevance, in molecular analisys, of consid-
ering all the taxa involved in the investigated genus and the 
related ones, especially in taxonomically critical groups as 
Minuartia s.l. (specifically Sabulina in this case). 

The morphological study confirms that Habrosia clear-
ly differs from Sabulina in some characters (apex of the se-
pals, number of styles, and fruit dehiscence/indehiscence) 
which have a high taxonomic value in Caryophyllaceae (see 
e.g., McNeill 1962, Tutin et al. 1993, Rabeler and Hartman 
2005, Greenberg and Donoghue 2011, Dillenberger and Ka-
dereit 2014, Pignatti 2017) and that it has to be recognized 
at generic rank.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks are due to M. Dillenberger (Johannes 
Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany) for the useful dis-
cussion about molecular results. I also thank to M. Geçit 
(Mardin, Mardin Province, Turkey) for the permission to 
reproduce his photo of Habrosia from Mardin and thanks 
to R. Gül (Datça, Muğla Province, Turkey) who helped me 
getting in contact M. Geçit.

References
Bakis, Y., Babac, M.T., Uslu, E., 2011: Updates and improvements 

of Turkish Plants Data Service (TÜBİVES). In: Allmer, J. 
(ed.), Book of Abstracts of the Sixth International Sympo-
sium on Health Informatics and Bioinformatics (HIBIT), 
1 3 6 –14 0 .  R e t r i e v e d  J a n u a r y  3 0 ,  2 0 21  f r o m 
http://194.27.225.161/yasin/tubives/index.php?sayfa=1&tax_
id=1783

Bittrich, V., 1993: Caryophyllaceae Juss. In: Kubitzki, K., Rohw-
er, J., Bittrich, V. (eds.), The families and genera of vascular 
plants, Magnoliid, Hamamelid and Caryophyllid families 2, 
206–236. Springer, Berlin.

Blakelock, R.A., 1957: Notes on the Flora of Iraq with Keys: Part 
III. Kew Bulletin 12(2), 177–224.

Boissier, W., 1867: Flora orientalis, sive enumeratio plantarum 
in Oriente a Graecia et Aegypto ad Indiae fines hucusque 
observatarum 1 (Thalamiflorae). Apud H. Georg Bibliopol-
am, Basileae.

Candolle, A.P., de 1824: Prodromus Systematis Regni Vegetabi-
lis 1. Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz, Parisiis.

Chanda, S., 1962: On the pollen morphology of some Scandina-
vian Caryophyllaceae. Grana Palynologia 3, 67–89 + 20 
plates.



MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR REMARKS ON HABROSIA

ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021 213

Chandra, S., Rawat, D.S., Verma, S.R., Uniyal, P., 2019: Trichome 
diversity of the family Caryophyllaceae from Western Hima-
laya and their taxonomic implication. Tropical Plant Re-
search 6(3), 397–407.

Davis, P.H. (ed.), 1988: Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Is-
lands 10. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.

Dillenberger, M.S., Kadereit, J.W., 2014: Maximum polyphyly: 
Multiple origins and delimitation with plesiomorphic char-
acters require a new circumscription of Minuartia (Caryo-
phyllaceae). Taxon 63(1), 64–88.

Dillenberger, M.S., Rabeler, R.K., 2018: A new combination in 
Mononeuria (Caryophyllaceae). Phytotaxa 350(1), 93–96.

Endlicher, S.L. 1843: Mantissa Botanica Altera Sistens Generum 
Plantarum Supplementium tertium. Apud Fredericum Beck, 
Vindobonae.

Ekim, T., 2012: Bizimbitkiler, Habrosia spinuliflora (Ser. Ex DC.) 
Fenzl. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from https://www.turki-
yebit k i ler i.com /t r/foto%C 4%9Fra f–ga ler isi /v iew–a l-
bum/2400.html

Fenzl, E., 1833: Versuch einer Darstellung der geographischen 
Verbreitungs– und Vertheilungs–Verhältnisse der natürli-
chen Familie der Alsineen in der Polarregion und eines The-
iles der gemäſsigten Zone der alten Welt. Gedruckt bei Johan 
Baptist Wallishausser, Wien.

Fenzl, E., 1843: Habrosia. Eine neue Gattung der Sclerantheen. 
Botanische Zeitung 1, 321–326.

Ghazanfar, S.A., Edmondson, J.R. (eds.), 2016: Flora of Iraq. Elat-
inaceae to Sphenocleaceae, vol. 5, part 1. Royal Botanic Gar-
dens, Kew, Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, 
Republic of Iraq, Baghdad.

Google Earth Pro, 2021: Data LDEO–Columbia, NSF, NOAA, 
Data–SIO, NOAA, U.S., Navy, NGA, GEBCO. Retrieved Jan-
uary 30, 2021 from https://earth.google.com/download–
earth.html

Greenberg, A.K., Donoghue, M.J., 2011: Molecular systematics 
and character evolution in Caryophyllaceae. Taxon 60(6), 
1637–1652.

Harbaugh, D.T., Nepokroeff, M., Rabeler, K., McNeill, J., Zim-
mer, E.A., Wagner, W.L., 2010: A new lineage–based tribal 
classification of the family Caryophyllaceae. Internation 
Journal of Plant Science 171(2), 185–198.

Hernández-Ledesma, P., Berendsohn, W.G., Borsch, T., Mering, 
S. von, Akhani, H., Arias, S., Castaneda-Noa, I., Eggli, U., 
Eriksson, R., Flores-Olvera, H., Fuentes-Bazan, S., Kadereit, 
G., Klak, C., Korotkova, N., Nyffeler, R., Ocampo, G., Ocho-
terena, H., Oxelman, B., Rabeler, R., Sanchez, A., Schlump-
berger, B., Uotila, P., 2015: A taxonomic backbone for the 
global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order 
Caryophyllales. Willdenowia 45(3), 281–383.

Iamonico, D., 2013: Taxonomical and chorological study on the 
Central Mediterranean Basin endemic Arenaria bertolonii 
Fiori and Paol. (Caryophyllaceae). Plant Biostystems 147(4), 
923–930.

Iamonico, D., 2014: Arenaria tenuifolia versus Arenaria hybrida 
(Caryophyllaceae): nomenclatural study and taxonomic im-
plications. Phytotaxa 173(3), 235–240.

Iamonico, D., 2015: Augustea (Polycarpaeae, Caryophyllaceae), 
a new genus from South America. Phytotaxa 236(1), 71–78.

Iamonico, D., 2016: Nomenclatural notes on four Linnaean 
names in Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae). Taxon 65(3), 610–616.

Iamonico, D., 2018: A conspectus of Silene sect. Lasiocalycinae 
(Caryophyllaceae). Phyton (Horn, Austria) 57(1–2), 113–127.

Iamonico, D., 2019: Taxonomical, chorological and ecological 
notes on the Eastern Alps endemic Arenaria huteri (Caryo-
phyllaceae–Alsinoideae). Phyton (Horn, Austria) 59(1), 11–19.

Iamonico, D., 2020: Cerastium kochianum, nom. nov. (Caryo-
phyllaceae): a new name for C. arvense var. strictum. Novon 
28, 15–16.

Iamonico, D., Domina, G., 2015: Nomenclatural notes on the 
Polycarpon tetraphyllum aggregate (Caryophyllaceae). Plant 
Biosystems 149(4), 720–727.

Iamonico, D., Ferrer-Gallego, P.P., Crespo, M.B., 2015: (2401) 
Proposal to conserve the name Dianthus crassipes against D. 
ferrugineus (Caryophyllaceae). Taxon 64(6), 1322–1323.

IPNI, 2021-onward [continuously updated]: The International 
Plant Names Index. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from https://
www.ipni.org/n/434759–1

Kaya, O.F., Ketenoğlu, O., 2010: A syntaxonomical and syneco-
logicalresearch on the steppe vegetationof the Karacadağ 
Mountain (Şanlıurfa–Diyarbakır/Turkey). Ecologia Medi-
terranea 36(1), 45–62.

Kool, A., Bengtson, A., Thulin, M., 2007: Polyphyly of Polycar-
pon (Caryophyllaceae) inferred from DNA sequence data. 
Taxon 56, 775–782. 

Legler, B.S., Dillenberger, M.S., 2017: Two new species of Sabu-
lina (Caryophyllaceae) from Washington State, U.S.A. Phy-
toKeys 81, 79–102.

Madhani, H., Rabeler, R., Pirani, A., Oxelman, B., Heubl, G., 
Zarre, S., 2018: Untangling phylogenetic patterns and taxo-
nomic confusion in tribe Caryophylleae (Caryophyllaceae) 
with special focus on generic boundaries. Taxon 67(1), 83–
112.

McNeill, J., 1962: Taxonomic studies in the alsinoidae I. Gener-
ic and infragenerics groups. Notes of the Royal Botanical 
Garden 24(2), 79–155.

McNeill, J., 1967: Minuartia L. In: Davis, P.H. (ed.), Flora of Tur-
key and the East Aegean Islands 2, 38–67. Edinburgh Uni-
versity Press, Edinburgh.

Moore, A.J., Dillenberger, M.S., 2017: A conspectus of the genus 
Cherleria (Minuartia s.l., Caryophyllaceae). Willdenowia 
47(1), 5–14.

Musselman, L.J., 2011: Checklist of plants of Lebanon and Syria. 
Retrieved January 30, 2021 from https://ww2.odu.edu/~l-
musselm/plant/lebsyria/checklist.php?search=Habrosia&-
type=plants&submit.x=11&submit.y=3&todo=search

Novosel, K.J., 1982: Floral morphology in relation to adaption 
and taxonomy in the Caryophyllaceae. PhD Thesis. Univer-
sity of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

Pignatti, S., 2017: Flora d’Italia, vol. 2, ed. 2. Edagricole, Milano.
Post, G.E., 1932: Flora of Syria, Palestine, and Sinai 1. Syrian 

Protestant College, Beirut.
POWO, 2021-onward: Plants of the World Online. Amaranthus 

ambigens Standl. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Kew. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from http://powo.science.
kew.org/taxon/434759–1

Rabeler, R.K., 2020: Caryophyllaceae Juss. p.p. Caryophyllales. 
Retrieved January 30, 2021 from http://caryophyllales.org/
cdm_dataportal/taxon/9b36ef31–b572–4efc–afe4–905d5f-
c9e8da

Rabeler, R.K., Hartman, R.L., 2005. Caryophyllaceae Juss. In: 
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of 
North America and North of Mexico 5, 3–8. Oxford Univer-
sity Press, New York, Oxford.

Rechinger, K.H., Melzheimer, V., Möschl, W., Schiman-Czeika, 
H., 1988: Flora Iranica 163. Akademische Druck– u. Verlag-
sanstalt, Graz.

Sadeghian, S., Zarre, S., Rabeler, R.K., Heubl, G., 2015: Molecu-
lar phylogenetic analysis of Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae: 
Tribe Arenarieae) and its allies inferred from nuclear DNA 
internal transcribed spacer and plastid DNA Rps16 sequenc-
es. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 178(4), 648–669.



IAMONICO D.

214 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021

Smissen, R.D., Garnok–Jones, P.J., Chambers, G.K., 2003: Phy-
logenetic analysis of ITS sequences suggests a Pliocene origin 
for the bipolar distribution of Scleranthus (Caryophyllaceae). 
Australian Systematic Botany 16, 301–315.

Stamatakis, A., 2014: RAxML Version 8: A tool for phylogenetic 
analysis and post-analysis of large phylogenies. Bioinformat-
ics 30(9), 1312–1313.

Takhtajan, A., 1986: Floristic regions of the world. University of 
California Press, Berkeley.

The Plant List, 2013: Version 1.1. Habrosia spinuliflora Fenzl. Re-
trieved January 30, 2021 from http://www.theplantlist.org/
tpl1.1/record/kew-2837342

Thiers, B., 2021-onward [continuously updated]: Index herbari-
orum. New York Botanical Garden [online]. Retrieved Janu-
ary 30, 2021 from http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/

Tropicos, 2021: Habrosia spinuliflora Fenzl. - Tropicos.org. Mis-
souri Botanical Garden. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from 
http://legacy.tropicos.org/Name/50227954

Turland, N.J., Wiersema, J.H., Barrie, F.R., Greuter, W., Hawk-
sworth, D.L., Herendeen, P.S., Knapp, S., Kusber, W.-H., Li, 
D.-Z., Marhold, K., May, T.W., McNeill, J., Monro, A.M., Pra-
do, J., Price, M.J., Smith, G.F. (eds.), 2018: International Code 
of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen 
Code) adopted by the Nineteenth International Botanical 
Congress Shenzhen, China, July 2017. Regnum Vegetabile 
159, 1–254.

Tutin, T.G., Burges, N.A., Chater, A.O., Edmondson, J.R., Moore, 
D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M., Webb, D.A. (eds.), 
1993: Flora Europaea, vol. 1, ed. 2. Cambridge University 
Press, Cambridge.