Phitosia (lat.) Is a monotypic genus of dicotyledonous plants of the Asteraceae family , including the species Phitosia crocifolia ( Boiss. & Heldr. ) Kamari & Greuter [2] . Highlighted by botanists Georgy Kamari and Werner Rodolfo Greuther in 2000 [3] .
| Phitosia |
| Scientific classification |
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| International scientific name |
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Phitosia Kamari & Greuter , 2000 |
| Single view |
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Phitosia crocifolia ( Boiss. & Heldr. ) Kamari & Greuter |
| Security status |
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Endangered speciesIUCN 3.1 Endangered : 161858 |
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The taxon Phitosia crocifolia can also be described in the genus Crepis , under the name Crepis crocifolia Boiss. & Heldr. basionym [4] [5] [6] .
The only species is endemic to Greece [7] [8] [9] . It occurs only on the Tayget mountain range in the south of the Peloponnese , and is known for its three (five? [6] ) small subpopulations. The plant range extends from Mount Xerovuna from the north to the mountains Profitis Ilias and Mavrovuna to the south; there is also a separate subpopulation in the Rindoma gorge at an altitude of 1350 m [5] .
It grows exclusively on limestone substrate, on rocks, in crevices, on rocky areas [5] .
Perennial herbaceous plants [10] .
Very similar to representatives of the Skerda clan ( Crepis ); while researchers isolating Phitosia crocifolia in a separate genus, note the fundamental differences from Crepis [10] :
- sharply different diploid set of chromosomes (in Ph. crocifolia - 2n = 18 [11] )
- lack of pubescence
- pappus hairs widened at the base
In addition, the genus, presumably, does not belong to the subtribe Crepidinae [10] (which, in turn, includes Crepis ).
It has the status of an endangered species ("endangered") according to the data of the International Union for Conservation of Nature . The total area of growing areas is about 200 km², and the number of specimens on them is constantly decreasing, mainly due to uncontrolled grazing [6] .
The species is listed in the Red Book of Greece, is protected at the European and state levels. Some of the specimens are grown in the botanical garden of the University of Patras, but they do not bear fruit there [6] .
