Three New Alien Taxa for Europe and a Chorological Update on the Alien Vascular Flora of Calabria (Southern Italy)

Identifying mosquito plant hosts from ingested nectar secondary metabolites

Establishing how plants contribute food and refuge to insects can be challenging for small species that are difficult to observe in their natural habitat, such as disease vectoring mosquitoes. Currently indirect methods of plant-host identification rely on DNA sequencing of ingested plant material but are often unsuccessful for small insects that feed primarily on plant sugars or have little contact with plant cells. Here we developed an innovative approach to determine species-specific phytophagy by detecting taxon-specific plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) in nectar. Two mosquito species were exposed to three PSMs, each present in the nectar of a known plant host, firstly from dosed sucrose solutions and secondly from flowers. Both experiments yielded high rates of PSM detection in mosquitoes using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). PSMs were consistently detected in mosquitoes up to 8 h post-ingestion. In experiments consisting of two or three plant species, multiple PSMs from different host plants could be detected. These positive results demonstrate that PSMs could be useful indicators of insect plant-hosts selection in the wild. With expanded knowledge of nectar-based PSMs across a landscape, improved knowledge of plant-host relationships could be achieved where direct observations in their natural habitat are lacking. Increasing understanding of vector insect ecology will have an important role in tackling vector-borne disease.

Ethnobotanical knowledge in Calabria (southern Italy): A summary review

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of ethnobotanical knowledge in Calabria, southern Italy. The diverse plant uses and knowledge in the region stem from the cultural contributions of various populations that have inhabited the area since ancient times. To achieve the stated objective, an in-depth review of 16 bibliographic sources published between 1950 and 2024 was conducted, and data on ethnobotanical uses was extracted. The data were then analyzed using various indices, including CI, CV, FC, PPV, RFC, RI, and UV, to determine the most relevant species, families, and plant parts. A total of 4873 records were collected. The analysis shows that the Asteraceae family is the most used, while Urtica dioica L. and Sambucus nigra L. are the most frequently used species according to the CV index. Medicinal and alimentary purposes are the most common types of use. This study could serve as a foundation for further detailed research, contributing to the valorisation of the ethnobotanical heritage of this region.

New Alien Plant Taxa for Italy and Europe: An Update

Despite the wide amount of scientific contributions published on alien plant species, their diffusion dynamics, and their interactions with native taxa, it is increasingly difficult to slow down their spreading and their negative impact on habitats. Last recent years, in fact, a sharp rise in the number of new alien plant taxa introduced in Italy and Europe has been recorded. The aim of this work is to investigate most of the Italian territory in order to verify whether this alarming trend is still underway. Specimen collections and/or observations of alien plants have been performed in as many as 12 Italian regions. All the collected specimens are stored in public or private herbaria. Taxa have been identified according to the literature from the countries of origin of the investigated taxa, while the nomenclature followed the current international references. Updates on 106 taxa are reported. In particular, among 117 new records, 89 are first records, 27 are changes to status and there is 1 extinction. Seven new taxa for Italian alien flora are reported, two of which are new to Europe. The administrative regions with the highest number of records are Calabria (48), Sardegna (17) and Sicilia (15). Five of the surveyed taxa, for the first time, have been considered invasive aliens to Italian territory. The unfrequent amount of original results provided by this work, over the simple importance of data itself, proves how floristic investigation, still today, represents one of the most effective tools in broadening the current knowledge about alien taxa and their dynamics.

The Novel Invader Salpichroa origanifolia Modifies the Soil Seed Bank of a Mediterranean Mesophile Forest

The composition and structure of soil seed banks provide insight into the long-term implications of plant invasions on resident communities. The effect of Salpichroa origanifolia (Sa) on the seed bank of a coastal mesophile forest (Tuscany) was studied by growing Sa-rhizomes in soils from low and high invaded sites, in full sun and canopy shade. Sa growth patterns, and the composition, biomass, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents of seedlings which emerged from seed banks were determined. Seed bank abundance and richness were also determined from under and 2 m apart established Sa populations. Sa plants' leaf traits and biomass allocation changed in response to light conditions. The germination of seed bank seedlings was not affected or even promoted by Sa, while their biomass as well as N and P uptake were more than halved in both light conditions, leading to a progressive depletion of the forest seed bank. Richness was lower under established Sa populations. Sa seedlings exerted a greater suppression on residents than Sa adults, and these appeared more competitive against their own seedlings than on residents. Sa is an invader of concern for Mediterranean forests because of its adaptability to shaded conditions, the competitiveness of its seedlings, and its vegetative spread by means of rhizomes.

Alien flora in Calabria (Southern Italy): an updated checklist

An updated checklist of the Calabrian alien vascular flora is presented. By way of field, bibliographic, and herbarium research, we recorded 382 alien taxa (representing almost 14% of all regional flora), of which 371 are angiosperms, nine gymnosperms, and two ferns. In relation to the state of spread, the majority of alien species are casual (207 taxa; 54%), followed by naturalized (127; 33%) and invasive (48; 13%), these last include four on the list of Union Concern, sensu Regulation (EU) no. 1143/2014. The most represented families are Asteraceae (39 taxa) and Poaceae (39). Among genera, Amaranthus (nine taxa), Prunus, Euphorbia, and Oxalis (seven taxa) make up those with the greatest number of taxa. A total of 21 taxa were reported for the first time, three of them are new to the European flora (Camptosema rubicundum, Musa ×paradisiaca and, only for continental Europe, Ipomoea hederacea), two to the Italian peninsula (Pelargonium graveolens, Schinus terebinthifolia) and 16 to the Calabrian flora (Aeonium arboreum, Asparagus asparagoides, Aspidistra elatior, Bidens sulphurea, Catalpa bignonioides, Citrus ×aurantium, Crassula ovata, Cucurbita ficifolia, Dimorphotheca ecklonis, Graptopetalum paraguayense subsp. paraguayense, Kalanchoë laxiflora, Nicotiana tabacum, Phytolacca dioica, Portulaca umbraticola, Talinum paniculatum, Tecomaria capensis). In terms of residence status, there are 291 neophytes (76%), 73 archaeophytes (19%), and 18 regional aliens (5%); neophytes are the most represented group (45 out of 48) among invasive taxa. Concerning life forms, the two most abundant groups are therophytes (30.1%, 115 taxa) and phanerophytes (29.6%, 113 taxa). Regarding habitats, 72% of alien taxa occur in artificial (199 taxa, 52%) and agricultural habitats (75 taxa, 20%). The majority of alien taxa are native to the Americas (159; 41.6%), numerous aliens also originated in Asia (76; 19.9%) and Africa (56; 14.7%). The majority of taxa were introduced for ornamental purposes (55%). Over the past decade, alien taxa in the flora in Calabria have increased from 190 to the current 382 taxa. While this trend could be linked to some extent to increasing awareness of the problem of alien species and the increasing intensity of research over recent decades, it is also most probably due to new introductions resulting from the globalization that relentlessly affects the whole planet.

Analysis of the Forest Landscape and Its Transformations through Phytotoponyms: A Case Study in Calabria (Southern Italy)

Place names, or toponyms, provide a useful geographical reference system; they can help analyse past landscapes, recover history and understand changes. Among place names, plant place names (phytotoponyms) can be used to analyse the current and past distribution of plants and plant communities and to highlight changes in land use due to human impacts and climate change. We assessed the feasibility of using place names related to species and forest ecosystems to evaluate changes that have affected the forest landscape. As a case study, we considered Calabria, a region in southern Italy rich in toponymic studies. We used the official topographic maps of Calabria, at scales of 1:25,000 and 1: 10,000, and literature data on Calabrian toponymy. To interpret toponyms related to plants and avoid errors, we performed a joint linguistic and naturalistic analysis. A total of 1609 phytotoponyms were identified relating to 45 forest species (28 trees and 17 shrubs) and 399 place names generically related to woods and forests. The most frequent plants associated with place names were Castanea sativa (8.3% of all plant place names), Quercus pubescens s.l. (7.2%), Salix sp. pl. (6.9%) and Quercus frainetto (5.6%). All the phytotoponyms were georeferenced and mapped in a GIS. Phytotoponym distribution maps were compared with current Calabrian forest vegetation, using digital orthophotos, land use maps and literature data. A close correspondence between phytotoponyms and forest vegetation for the mountain belt was identified. In contrast, in the basal belt, we found poor correspondence between phytotoponyms and current forest vegetation, especially for wet forests, that can be accounted for by the severe changes in the landscape due to the agricultural and urban transformations that have occurred. The spread of phytotoponyms concerning species linked to forest degradation, such as Spartium junceum, emphasises the ancient anthropic impacts on forests. Our study shows that phytotoponyms are an important tool for analysing changes in vegetation over time. They make it possible to reconstruct changes in the landscape and the intended use of the territory and provide useful information on the restoration of forest ecosystems.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Italian Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between Regions

The tradition of floristic studies in Italy has made it possible to obtain a good knowledge of plant diversity both on a national and regional scale. However, the lack of knowledge for some areas, advances in plant systematics and human activities related to globalization, highlight the need for further studies aimed at improving floristic knowledge. In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria and literature surveys, we update the knowledge on the Italian vascular flora and analyze the floristic similarities between the administrative regions. Four taxa, all exotic, were recorded for the first time in Italy and Europe. In detail, Elaeodendron croceum, Kalanchoë blossfeldiana, and Sedum spathulifolium var. spathulifolium were found as casual aliens, while Oxalis brasiliensis was reported as historical record based on some herbarium specimens. Furthermore, Kalanchoë laxiflora was confirmed as a casual alien species for Italy and Europe. Status changes for some taxa were proposed at both national and regional levels, as well as many taxa were reported as new or confirmed at the regional level. Currently the Italian vascular flora comprises 9150 taxa of which 7547 are native (of which 1598 are Italian endemics) and 1603 are exotic at the national level. The multivariate analysis of updated floristic data on a regional scale showed a clear distribution along the latitudinal gradient, in accordance with the natural geographical location of the regions in Italy. This pattern of plants distribution was not affected by the introduction of alien species. Despite some taxonomic and methodological issues which are still open, the data obtained confirm the important role of floristic investigations in the field and in herbaria, as well as the collaborative approach among botanists, in order to improve the knowledge of the Italian and European vascular flora.

Evaluation of Species Invasiveness: A Case Study with Acacia dealbata Link. on the Slopes of Cabeça (Seia-Portugal)

One of the main causes of biodiversity loss in the world is the uncontrolled expansion of invasive plants. According to the edaphoclimatic conditions of each region, plants acquire different invasion behaviors. Thus, to better understand the expansion of invasive plants with radial growth, it is proposed to use two equations, the Annual Linear Increment (ALI) and the Annual Invasiveness Rate (AIR). These equations are applied using spatiotemporal data obtained from the analysis of orthophotomaps referring populations of Acacia dealbata Link. in areas located in Serra da Estrela, Portugal. As a result, the area occupied by this species in the parish of Cabeça was evaluated and a 20-year projection was carried out. The data produced by these equations contributed to improving the knowledge about the invasion behavior of exotic species in a rigorous and detailed way according to local ecological conditions. This study may serve as the basis for the application of other similar situations concerning invasive species in other territories, to improve the efficiency of future projections for these species. Local technical and scientific knowledge will contribute to improving spatial and management planning, enabling a better adequacy and effectiveness of the control measures to be adopted.

Ethnobotany of the Himalayas: Safeguarding Medical Practices and Traditional Uses of Kashmir Regions

The present study was carried out to enlist the medicinal plants used by the local inhabitants of developing countries such as India, and the district of Kupwara of the Kashmir Himalaya has been targeted. Our research is one of the first study focusing on the statistical evaluation of the cross-cultural analysis between three different communities i.e., Dard, Kashmiri and Gujjar, of the study area. Sampling was carried out in eight villages in 2017 to 2020, and data were collected from 102 informants based on walking transects, to collect plant specimens, and semi-structured interviews. The medical usages of all collected taxa were grouped into 15 disease categories and 81 biomedical ailments. In this study, we documented around 107 plant taxa belonging to 52 families from the local inhabitants of the Kashmir Himalaya, which regulate the livelihood of the people and support cultural ecosystem services. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Ranunculaceae, Poaceae, Solanaceae, Polygonaceae, Plantaginaceae and Brassicaceae are the top most dominant families. Herbaceous groups of plants were more common than trees and shrubs, and 71.96% of herb taxa were employed as medicine. Liliaceae, Caprifoliaceae and Portulacaceae (FUV = 0.24 each) have the highest family use value (FUV). The most prominent family was Asteraceae (seven genera, nine taxa), followed by Rosaceae and Lamiaceae (six genera, six taxa each). Persicaria Mill., Rheum L., Aconitum L. and Artemisia L. were prominent genera. Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. (47UR), Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (45UR), Arisaema jacquemontii Blume (37UR), Asparagus racemosus Willd. (36UR) and Rumex acetosa L. (35UR) were the most important plant taxa with reference to use-reports. The ethnomedicinal applications of Aesculus indica Wall. ex Cambess., Solanum pseudocapsicum L., Ranunculus hirtellus Royle and Cormus domestica (L.) Spach plant taxa are reported here for the first time from the Himalayan Kashmiri people. We recommend further research on ethnopharmacological application of these newly recorded ethnobotanical plants. The medical usage of the plant was limited to different parts of the plant. In terms of the usage percentage, whole plant (26.17%), leaves (24.30%) and roots (19.63%) were found to have the highest utilization. The powder form (40.19%) was the most frequently employed method of drug/medicine preparation, followed by the utilization of extracted juice and/or other extracts (22.43%). The ICF values range from 0.85 to 1.00. Their use to remedy parasitic problems (PAR) and insect bites (IB) (ICF = 1.0 each) had the maximum consensus mentioned by the informants, although the number of taxa employed under this category was very limited. The different plant taxa used for the treatment of the gastrointestinal problems (GAS) was the most prominent disease category (262 URs, 16.19%, 25 taxa, ICF = 0.90). About 65% of the plant taxa studied is indigenous to the Asia or Himalayan regions, and around 35% is found to be exotic in nature. A strong positive correlation was found between age, gender, educational qualification and medicinal plant knowledge. No significant association was between people of different communities interviewed in terms of medical knowledge of the plants, p = 0.347 (>0.05) and χ2 = 2.120. No significant difference was found between the number of species documented concerning gender as p = 0.347 (>0.05) and χ2 =0.885. This study provides the comprehensive status of ethnomedicinal knowledge among three different communities of the study area. This study provided an impetus in discovering the baseline primary data for molecules which would help in drug discovery and management of various diseases, apart from conserving the genepool of plants in the investigated area.

Prunus lusitanica L.: An Endangered Plant Species Relict in the Central Region of Mainland Portugal

Prunus lusitanica L. is a paleotropical relic species with an Ibero-Maghrebian distribution, which is presently considered as an endangered species, recognized by the Natura 2000 Network (92/43/EEC) as a priority habitat for conservation in Europe. The mountains in the Portuguese mainland central region offer the best location for this species to occur. The main objective of this study is to measure the current conservation status of the communities of P. lusitanica, through the collection of field data, such as the number of existing individuals of each population and their location, which will then be comparatively analyzed based on the previous literature, published at least 15 years ago. Soil characterization analysis was carried out and the main threats to conservation were identified. As a result, a decline of approximately 40% was observed in the number of individuals and in the quality of their habitat. The main threats to their conservation were found to be the seasonal occurrence of rural fires and the expansion of invasive species, such as Acacia dealbata Link and Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. Finally, we present the main management methodologies that should be considered for the valorization of this important vegetational relic in the central region of mainland Portugal.

Early Growth of 11 Native and Three Alien Tree Species in Northeastern Mindanao, Philippines

Early growth performances of 11 native tree species were investigated in three different sites in Mindanao, Philippines, to evaluate their adaptability and potential for plantation development. Three alien species were added to assess how native species could potentially compete with these alien species based on survival rate, diameter growth rate (DGR), and height growth rate (HGR). A year after planting, the native species common to all sites that obtained >80% survival rate were Casuarina equisetifolia L. Alstonia macrophylla Wall. ex. G.Don., Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br., and Parkia javanica (Lam.) Merr. and were comparable to an alien species Acacia mangium Willd. The species with the lowest survival rate (30%) across all sites was Duabanga moluccana Blume. Native species P. javanica, Eucalyptus deglupta Blume, and A. macrophylla all had a DGR of 34 mm year−1 and were comparable with the alien species Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F.Blake with 38 mm year−1. However, the HGR of native species E. deglupta (245 cm year−1) and Melia dubia Cav. (230 cm year−1) were higher than an alien species S. parahyba (222 cm year−1). No native species can compete with the DGR (52 mm year−1) and HGR (384 cm year−1) of A. mangium. Rainfall significantly explained 13%–97% of DGR, HGR and survival rate of >70% of the species while air temperature explained about 17%–96% of the variations of similar variables. This early assessment provides a strong basis to better predict the early performances of native species in the Philippines. Through this, appropriate silvicultural intervention can be recommended towards improving the growth and survival of the native seedlings as alternative industrial tree plantation species in the country.

Fragmented Forest Patches in the Indian Himalayas Preserve Unique Components of Biodiversity: Investigation of the Floristic Composition and Phytoclimate of the Unexplored Bani Valley

Subtropical and temperate forests are amongst the most threatened habitats of Asia, due to large-scale habitat loss and the fragmentation of landscapes. Inspite of these, the Asiatic regions preserve their endemic biodiversity, and provide a favorable environment for the abundant growth of vegetation. In the Himalayas, many interior regions are still unexplored from a biodiversity perspective, due to remote locations and high snow-clad mountains. In this study, we investigated the unexplored Bani Valley in order to reduce the gap of uninventorized areas of rich biodiversity in the Himalayas and formulate plant conservation and management strategies. Thirteen field expedition tours were undertaken during 2017 and 2020 for data collection in different growing seasons in the study area. All plant species were collected as voucher samples, identified, and deposited in the internationally recognized Janaki Ammal Herbarium (acronym RRLH). GPS points were recorded in order to study the forest types and vegetation components of the study area. A total of 196 plant species belonging to 166 genera and 68 families were identified in Bani Valley, covering a total area of 2651 km2. Approximately 70.62% of the species were native and 29.38% were non-native. In total, 46% of species were Indo-Malayan, followed by 22% Palearctic species. In angiosperms, dicotyledon species (68.37%) dominated. Poales were the most dominant order, with 38 species (19.38%). The most abundant families were Poaceae with 29 species (14.79%), Fabaceae (17, 8.67%), Rosaceae, Cyperaceae, and Asteraceae (9, 4.59% each). The life form analysis showed 50% of species as phanerophytes, followed by therophytes (25.77%). The leaf size spectra show mesophyllous species (34.69%) as the dominant group. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants categorized Ailanthus altissima as endangered (EN), Aegle marmelos and Quercus oblongata as near threatened (NT), Ulmus wallichiana and Plantago lanceolata as vulnerable (VU), Taxus baccata and 75 other species as least concern (LC), and 2 species as data deficient (DD). The remaining 113 species of plants had not been evaluated according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This study will help to shape conservation and management plans for threatened species for future implementation, and will help in biodiversity conservation. This study will serve as a database for future reference materials in terms of biodiversity management.

The Assessment and the Within-Plant Variation of the Morpho-Physiological Traits and VOCs Profile in Endemic and Rare Salvia ceratophylloides Ard. (Lamiaceae)

Salvia ceratophylloides (Ard.) is an endemic and rare plant species recently rediscovered as very few individuals at two different Southern Italy sites. The study of within-plant variation is fundamental to understand the plant adaptation to the local conditions, especially in rare species, and consequently to preserve plant biodiversity. Here, we reported the variation of the morpho-ecophysiological and metabolic traits between the sessile and petiolate leaf of S. ceratophylloides plants at two different sites for understanding the adaptation strategies for surviving in these habitats. The S. ceratophylloides individuals exhibited different net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, light intensity for the saturation of the photosynthetic machinery, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf area, fractal dimension, and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between the different leaf types. This within-plant morpho-physiological and metabolic variation was dependent on the site. These results provide empirical evidence of sharply within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profiles in S. ceratophylloides, explaining the adaptation to the local conditions.

Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) Priority in Italy: Distribution, Ecology, In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation and Expected Actions

The study presents an updated overview of the 14 non-endemic threatened crop wild relatives (CWR) in Italy: Aegilops biuncialis, Ae. uniaristata, Ae. ventricosa, Asparagus pastorianus, Beta macrocarpa, Brassica insularis, B. montana, Crambe hispanica subsp. hispanica, C. tataria subsp. tataria, Ipomoea sagittata, Lathyrus amphicarpos, L. palustris, Vicia cusnae and V. serinica. Geographical distribution, ecology (with plant communities and habitat 92/43/EEC aspects), genetics (focused on gene pools), property, and in situ and ex situ conservation were analyzed. In addition, with the aim of their protection and valorization, specific actions are recommended.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 10

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1.