A new species of Brassica sect. Brassica (Brassicaceae) from Sicily.

Abstract

Among the suffruticose cabbages of Brassica sect. Brassica, a new species from Sicily, named B. raimondoi, is described and illustrated. It is a chasmophyte restricted to some steep limestone cliffs near Taormina (NE Sicily) and is morphologically related to B. incana, with which it shares densely hairy, broad, amplexicaul leaves and winged petioles, but differs principally in its white corolla, larger floral pieces, more developed stigmatic papillae, shorter siliquae with keeled valves and a smaller,seedless beak, smaller seeds differing in testa microsculpture. A key for the identification of the currently known Sicilian taxa of the section is provided.