On the identity of Thymus humifusus var. aureopunctatus (Lamiaceae) and taxonomic notes on the Th. richardii complex Author Saez, Llorenc Systematics and Evolution of Vascular Plants (UAB) - Associated Unit to CSIC, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Facultat de Biociencies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain Author Bogunic, Faruk University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Forestry, Zagrebacka 20, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Author Cambria, Salvatore Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Longo 19, 95125 Catania, Italy Author Riera, Jesus Jardin Botanico. Universidad de Valencia. C / Quart, 80. 46008 Valencia, Spain Author Bogdanovic, Sandro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1952-6059 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Botany, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia & Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia sbogdanovic@agr.hr text PhytoKeys 2021 2021-12-09 186 139 158 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.186.75412 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.186.75412 1314-2003-186-139 70DC0EB03FF3548ABBF5113F5E1EB62B 2. Thymus richardii subsp. aureopunctatus (Beck) L. Saez , Bogunic & Bogdanovic , comb. & stat. nov. Thymus humifusus aureopunctatus ≡ Thymus humifusus var. aureopunctatus Beck, Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 2: 142. 1887, basionym. Thymus aureopunctatus ≡ Th. aureopunctatus (Beck) K. Maly , Prilozi za floru Bosne i Herzegovine: 557. 1908. Type . Herc. [Herzegovina], Naechst Konjica, 8 July 1885 , G. Beck ( lectotype : PRC 455886! designated here, Fig. 5 ) . Description. Stems up to 45 cm long, procumbent to reptant. Leaf blade up to 7.7 x 5.3 mm, suborbicular to elliptical, entire. Inflorescence 8-21 mm long, capitate; bracts up to 6.5 x 5 mm, similar to leaves, entire, usually hairy at margin (eglandular hairs up to 1 mm long). Calyx 3-5 mm long, glabrescent to sparsely hairy, with eglandular hairs up to 0.5 mm long, without stipitate glandular hairs; calyx tube 1.3-2.2 mm long, sparsely hairy, with eglandular hairs up to 0.5 mm long on the ventral surface; central tooth of upper lip 0.7-1.6 mm long, lower teeth 2-3 mm long, with hairs pectinate up to 0.5 mm long. Corolla 6-9 mm long, rose (Fig. 4 , A, B, D). Chromosome number. 2 n = 28 ( Kaleva 1969 ). Distribution. Endemic to surroundings of Konjic ( Podorasac , Koznik, Duzani , Dudle, Dzepi , Zlatar, Borci, Spiljani, Glavaticevo , Pribilja, Repovica), northern Herzegovina. The taxon covers an area of c. 280 km2. Habitat. Sandy dolomites and dolomitic rocky places, 400-1040 m a.s.l. Remarks. Beck (1887) described Th. humifusus var. aureopunctatus from "In saxosis prope Konjicam" [Bosnia and Herzegovina] and related this new variety to Thymus humifusus Bernh. ex Link, which is currently regarded a synonym of the tetraploid Th. praecox Opiz ( Jalas 1971 ; Euro+Med 2006 ; Plant List 2021 ; WFO 2021 ). Guenther Beck (1856-1931) was a Bohemian botanist, and his herbarium is currently kept at PRC and W ( Stafleu and Cowan 1976 ). We have been able to locate original material of Th. humifusus var. aureopunctatus at PRC. This is a well-prepared specimen; it matches the description and the provenance indicated in the protologue. Therefore, we designate the specimen with barcode PRC 455886 as the lectotype of the name Th. humifusus var. aureopunctatus (Fig. 5 ). The taxon occurs in fragmented subpopulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their habitats are threatened by forest succession and canopy closure, but frequent fire incidences represent the most serious threat to its subpopulations. However, the overall population trend of Th. richardii subsp. aureopunctatus is inferred to be generally stable (F. Bogunic , pers. observ.). Figure 5. Lectotype of Thymus humifusus var. aureopunctatus (PRC 455886). Specimens examined. Bosnia and Herzegovina . Konjic , 8 July 1885 , G. Beck (PRC 455886!, lectoptype); Konjic , Duzani , 43.509894N 18.152114E , 830 m , 10 July 2020 , F. Bogunic (SARA, ZAGR, L. Saez herb. pers.); Konjic, Dzepi , 43.675506N 18.011992E 757 m , 10 July 2020 , F. Bogunic (SARA, ZAGR, L. Saez herb. pers.); Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dudle, 43.540567N 18.121261E , 1034 m , 10 July 2020 , F. Bogunic (SARA, ZAGR, L. Saez herb. pers.); Flora Herzegovinae. In pineti ( Pinus nigra) inter Pricepa-Bigolje ; solo dolomitico, 720 m , 9 August 1908 , K. Maly (ZA); Flora Hercegovinae . In saxosis dolomiticis ad Repovica prope Konjic , 12 July 1931 , V. Loschingg (ZA) .