On the Typification of Heliotropium supinum L. (Boraginaceae)

Abstract

Riedl (Fl. Turkey 6: 255 (1978)) gives a very precise typification of Heliotropium supinum L. namely [N. Spain] 'hab. Salmanticae juxta agros. Alstroemer 482 (Hb Linn 179/8, photo!)'. The only trouble with this is that Baron C. Alstroemer (1736-1794) did not visit Southern Europe until 1760; Alstroemer sent a manuscript list of plants dated 1762 to Linnaeus in which this plant is mentioned (S. Savage, A catalogue of the Linnaean Herbarium, London. 1945). Since H. supinum was published in 1753 the Alstroemer specimen cannot possibly be the type. Linnaeus does, however, give precise localities (Sp. PI.: 130 (1753)) 'Habitat Salmanticae Juxta agros. Monspelii in littore. ?.'. He cites only 'Heliotropium minus supinum. Bauhin. pin. 253' and 'Heliotropium supinum Clus. hist. 2. p. 47'. Bauhin mentions no localities. L'Escluse has no separate heading for H. supinum in his Rariorum Plantarum Historia (1601) but gives an adequate figure in lib IIII at the top of page xivij; the textual reference is mixed under Heliotropium maius Cap XXX where he points out the differences between the two and gives the locality 'Ad quorundam agrorum margines, praesertim ubi Melopepones seri solent, Salmanticae reperiebam'. This is probably the true origin of Linnaeus's reference to Salamanca but I was unable to discover any specimen or reference to explain the mention of Montpellier. I reported my observations to Dr C. Jarvis who agrees the Alstroemer specimen 179.8 substantially post-dates the publication of Heliotropium supinum. He also pointed out that Kazmi (J. Arnold Arb. 51: 179 (1970)) had earlier made the same erroneous choice of type as Riedl. DrJarvis explained that the reference to Montpellier came from a specimen in the Burser herbarium. The Bauhin polynomial is borne by a specimen in vol. xiv (2): 2 (UPS) on the label of which Burser wrote 'Monspelii in littore maris'. The Burser herbarium was in Uppsala and frequently consulted by Linnaeus and had been known to him since his student days in 1728; he carried out an intensive study of it in 1745. In a manuscript preserved at the Linnean Society (see Savage, Caroli Linnaei, Determinationes in Hortum Siccum Joachimi Burseri, 46 (1837)) Linnaeus determined the Burser specimen as H. supinum and noted 'Monspelii in littore'. Juel (Symb. Bot. Ups. 11 (1): 93 (1936)) has identified the specimen as being H. supinum which a study of the microfiche confirms. This specimen is clearly a better choice of lectotype than the Clusius illustration and I hereby formally select it.