New hybrid of genus Silene (Caryophyllaceae) in the Serra da Estrela, Portugal

A description is given of a new hybrid of the genus Silene (Caryophyllaceae ) found in the Serra da Estrela Portugal. A brief taxonomic review of the t wo parent species, whose correct denomination has been controversial since the last century, is followed by a botanical description of the new taxon, Silene x montistellensis nothosp. nov. SEM study of its seeds revealed the presence of clear morphological characters which are useful for simple iden tification and differentiation. A section on the ecology and phytosociology of the three taxa includes the different affinities of each element for su bstrate type and plant community in which their optimum is reached. Finally , we list all the herbarium specimens from Portuguese sites consulted, both from our own collections and from different Spanish and Portuguese herbari a. Using the data from these Portuguese specimens and from field notes two comparative tables of morphological characters are presented. (C) 1999 The Linnean Society of London.