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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Pest Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #306857
Title: A new species of Kali (Salsoloideae, Chenopodiaceae) from Sicily, supported by molecular analysis

Author
item BRULLO, CRISTIAN - DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE E TECNOLOGIE AMBIENTALI
item BRULLO, SALVATORE - DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE E TECNOLOGIE AMBIENTALI
item GASKIN, JOHN
item GIUSSO DEL GALDO, GIANPIETRO - DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE E TECNOLOGIE AMBIENTALI
item HRUSA, G. FREDERIC - CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
item SALMERI, CRISTINA - DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE E TECNOLOGIE BIOLOGICHE E AMBIENTALI

Submitted to: Phytotaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2015
Publication Date: 3/5/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60535
Citation: Brullo, C., Brullo, S., Gaskin, J.F., Giusso Del Galdo, G., Hrusa, G., Salmeri, C. 2015. A new species of Kali (Salsoloideae, Chenopodiaceae) from Sicily, supported by molecular analysis. Phytotaxa. 21(4):256-277. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.201.4.2.

Interpretive Summary: There is much confusion in correctly identifying and accurately naming plant species in the genus Kali, which includes the non-native and invasive tumbleweeds. Here we update the correct latin names of all plants in the genus Kali and describe a new species for the genus (Kali basaltica), noting how it differs from other members of the genus.

Technical Abstract: Nomenclatural and taxonomical considerations on Kali, a controversial genus recently segregated from the polyphyletic Salsola s. l. (Chenopodiaceae), are provided. Morphologically, Kali groups annual plants with leaves ending in a spine and lacking hypodermis, having also a cortex alternate to longitudinal chlorenchymatous striae. The species of this genus mainly have a paleo-temperate distribution (Europe, Asia and North Africa), occurring also in North America, Australia and South Africa, often as alien plants. A nomenclatural list of the currently known species of Kali is provided, with several new combinations: Kali nepalensis (Grubov) comb. nov., Kali pellucida (Litvinov) comb. nov., Kali sinkiangensis (A.J. Li) comb. nov., Kali gobicola (Iljin) comb. nov. and Kali ryanii (G.F. Hrusa & Gaskin) comb. nov. In addition, a new species collected on Mt. Etna (Sicily), and closely related to K. australis, is described and named K. basaltica Its morphological and molecular features, karyology (2n=54), ecology, distribution, phylogeny and conservation status are examined.