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Morphological diversity and distribution of Eleocharis taxa (Cyperaceae) in Croatia

The genus Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) has a circumboreal distribution and consists of about 200 species which are found in marshes, wetlands and other wet habitats. The taxa of this genus were never systematically studied in Croatian flora. Based on morphological characters a revision of roughly 300 herbarium specimens deposited in four Croatian herbaria (CNHM, ZA, ZAGR and ZAHO) was performed. The characters that are used for revision are: plant habit, uppermost leaf-sheath shape, inflorescence and spikelet shape, glume shape and length, fruit (nut) shape and length, stylopodium shape, and number of perianth bristles. The results of this revision revealed the occurrence of nine Eleocharis taxa in Croatian flora: E. acicularis, E. carniolica, E. mamillata, E. mamillata subsp. austriaca, E. ovata, E. palustris, E. parvula, E. quinqueflora and E. uniglumis. For each taxon the distribution map is provided and commented. Quite problematic and morphologically very similar are taxa of E. palustris complex (E. mamillata, E. mamillata subsp. austriaca, E. palustris and E. uniglumis). Their distribution and occurrence is still poorly known, expect for E. palustris that is wider distributed in Croatian flora. The occurrence of E. parvula is questionable in Croatia. The habitats of Eleocharis taxa are under strong human influence because of vegetation succession and draining of wet habitats, as well as abandonment of traditional agriculture on wet fields and meadows, and actual climate warming changes.

Eleocharis, diversity, distribution, Croatia

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