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.

Edible Halophytes and Halo-Tolerant Species in Apulia Region (Southeastern Italy): Biogeography, Traditional Food Use and Potential Sustainable Crops

The Mediterranean basin is rich in wild edible species which have been used for food and medicinal purposes by humans throughout the centuries. Many of these species can be found near coastal areas and usually grow under saline conditions, while others can adapt in various harsh conditions including high salinity. Many of these species have a long history of gathering from the wild as a source of food. The aim of this contribution is an overview on the most important halophyte species (Salicornia sp. pl., Arthrocaulon macrostachyum (Moric.) Piirainen & G. Kadereit, Soda inermis Fourr., Cakile maritima Scop., Crithmum maritimum L., Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke subsp. tenoreana (Colla) Soldano & F. Conti, Allium commutatum Guss., Beta vulgaris L. subsp. maritima (L.) Arcang., Capparis spinosa L.) that traditionally have been gathered by rural communities in southern Italy, with special interest on their ecology and distribution, traditional uses, medicinal properties, marketing and early attempts of cultivation. It is worth noting that these species have an attractive new cash crop for marsh marginal lands.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 13

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

Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs) Threatened and Endemic to Italy: Urgent Actions for Protection and Use

An updated overview of the 29 threatened crop wild relatives (CWRs) endemic to Italy is presented, namely: Arrhenatherum elatius subsp. nebrodense, Barbarea rupicola, Brassica baldensis, Brassica glabrescens, Brassica macrocarpa, Brassica rupestris subsp. hispida, Brassica rupestris subsp. rupestris, Brassica tardarae, Brassicatrichocarpa, Brassica tyrrhena, Brassica villosa subsp. bivonana, Brassica villosa subsp. brevisiliqua, Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis, Brassica villosa subsp. tineoi, Brassica villosa subsp. villosa, Daucus broteroi, Daucus carota subsp. rupestris, Daucus nebrodensis, Diplotaxis scaposa, Festuca centroapenninica, Lathyrus apenninus, Lathyrus odoratus, Malus crescimannoi, Phalaris arundinacea subsp. rotgesii, Vicia brulloi, Vicia consentina, Vicia giacominiana, Vicia ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca, Vicia tenuifolia subsp. elegans. Data concerning geographical distribution, ecology (including plant communities and habitats of the Directive 92/43/EEC), genetics (chromosome number, breeding system, and/or the existence of gene pools), threat status at the national and international level (Red Lists), key plant properties, and in situ and ex situ conservation were analyzed and shown. At present, most of the listed endemic CWRs, 23 out of 29, have no gene pool at all, so they are CWRs only according to the taxon group and not according to the gene pool concept. In addition, there is a serious lack of data on the ex situ conservation in gene banks, with 16 species identified as high priority (HP) while 22 taxa have high priority (A) for in situ conservation. With the aim of their protection, conservation, and valorization, specific and urgent actions are recommended.

Impact of invasive alien plants on native plant communities and Natura 2000 habitats: State of the art, gap analysis and perspectives in Italy

Invasive alien plants are a major threat to biodiversity and they contribute to the unfavourable conservation status of habitats of interest to the European Community. In order to favour implementation of European Union Regulation no. 1143/2014 on invasive alien species, the Italian Society of Vegetation Science carried out a large survey led by a task force of 49 contributors with expertise in vegetation across all the Italian administrative regions. The survey summed up the knowledge on impact mechanisms of invasive alien plants in Italy and their outcomes on plant communities and the EU habitats of Community Interest, in accordance with Directive no. 92/43/EEC. The survey covered 241 alien plant species reported as having deleterious ecological impacts. The data collected illustrate the current state of the art, highlight the main gaps in knowledge, and suggest topics to be further investigated. In particular, the survey underlined competition as being the main mechanism of ecological impact on plant communities and Natura 2000 habitats. Of the 241 species, only Ailanthus altissima was found to exert an ecological impact on plant communities and Natura 2000 habitats in all Italian regions; while a further 20 species impact up to ten out of the 20 Italian administrative regions. Our data indicate that 84 out of 132 Natura 2000 Habitats (64%) are subjected to some degree of impact by invasive alien plants. Freshwater habitats and natural and semi-natural grassland formations were impacted by the highest number of alien species, followed by coastal sand dunes and inland dunes, and forests. Although not exhaustive, this research is the first example of nationwide evaluation of the ecological impacts of invasive alien plants on plant communities and Natura 2000 Habitats.

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 8

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of four vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment of Ophrys normanii J.J.Wood at global level, and the regional assessment of Genista anglica L., Helianthemum lippii (L.) Dum.Cours., and Scrophularia lucida L. (Italy).

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (Campania and Basilicata, southern Italy)

In order to improve the floristic knowledge of the Italian territory, we report the inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society held in 2015 in eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (South Italy). The investigated territories are located in southern Apennines, along the border between the Campania and Basilicata administrative regions. These areas are scarcely known in terms of vascular flora. The floristic samplings were performed in 19 sites selected as representative of the local environmental diversity as regards to climate, litho-morphology and land-use.

The research led to the identification of 4,137 specimens of vascular plants, belonging to 815 species and subspecies, 399 genera, and 85 families. Among these taxa, 42 were endemic to Italy, 38 were included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora, 28 were alien and 5 were cryptogenic in Campania and/or Basilicata administrative regions. Two taxa, Aquilegia coerulea (casual alien, native to North America) and Lolium × boucheanum (native), were found to be new for Italy. On the basis of the available floristic literature the first one is also to be considered new for the European flora. At regional scale, we have found 18 taxa new for the Campania and 15 new for the Basilicata region. Finally, 10 taxa were confirmed for Campania. Data obtained during this study, confirmed the important role of a collaborative approach among botanists and the great relevance of these territories for plant diversity.

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the head of the Po Valley (Piedmont, north Italy)

In 2014, the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics, and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society was held in Piemonte (northern Italy), at the head of the Po Valley. This valley, at whose extremity is located the Monviso (3,841 m a.s.l.), belongs to the Cottian Alps about which very little is known from a floristic point of view. An inventory of the taxa of vascular plants collected during the field trip is reported here. The research led to the identification of 3,546 exsiccata, kept in nine public and nine private collections. A total of 669 taxa belonging to 79 plant families were recorded. Six taxa resulted endemic to Italy and three exclusive to Piemonte, while only nine alien species were detected; six taxa are new and five confirmed for the regional flora.

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Maddalena Mountains (Basilicata and Campania, southern Italy)

The inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society is reported. It was held in 2013 along the Maddalena Mountains a mountain ridge of the southern Apennines located between the Basilicata and Campania administrative regions (southern Italy) considered as being poorly characterized in terms of vascular flora. A total of 701 units belonging to 74 plant families were recorded including two varieties and four hybrids.Thirty-five taxa resulted endemic to Italy and only 11 alien species were detected while 36 taxa are new or confirmed for the regional floras of Basilicata and/or Campania. In particular 12 taxa are new for Basilicata while four are confirmed. Regarding Campania 14 taxa resulted new for the regional flora and five were confirmed.

Plant communities in multi-metal contaminated soils: a case study in the National Park of Alta Murgia (Apulia region - Southern Italy)

A phytosociological study was conducted in the National Park of Alta Murgia in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) to determine the adverse effects of metal contamination of soils on the distribution of plant communities. The phytosociological analyses have shown a na, remarkable biodiversity of vegetation on non-contaminated soils, while biodiversity appeared strongly reduced on metal-contaminated soils. The area is naturally covered by a wide steppic grassland dominated by Stipa austroitalica Martinovsky subsp, austroitalica. Brassicaceae such as Sinapis arvensis L. are the dominating species on moderated contaminated soils, whereas spiny species of Asteraceae such as Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. and Carduus pycnocephalus L. subsp, pycnocephalus are the dominating vegetation on heavily metal-contaminated soils. The presence of these spontaneous species on contaminated soils suggest their potential for restoration of degraded lands by phytostabilization strategy.