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Biscutella incana is endemic to the southern Apennine Peninsula (Italy) and was first described by Michele Tenore in 1826 from Calabria. It belongs to B. ser. Levigatae, the most morphologically diversified and critical series within the genus. In order to fix the application of this name, a lectotype housed in NAP was designated here. An updated and detailed morphological description, distribution and information about habitat and phenology are provided. Furthermore, a chromosome count made on a new population discovered in Dolomiti Lucane (Basilicata, southern Italy), confirmed that B. incana is diploid (2n = 18). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical species inventories provide primary biodiversity data crucial for biogeographical, ecological, and conservation studies. After six years, a second update to the inventory of the vascular flora native to Italy is presented. It provides details on the occurrence at regional level and, for the first time, floristic data for San Marino. The checklist includes 8,241 species and subspecies, distributed in 1,111 genera and 153 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms, and 8,080 angiosperms. The species/subspecies endemic to Italy are 1,702, grouped in 71 families and 312 genera. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7,591, while 545 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 94 are doubtfully occurring in the country, 11 are data deficient, and 236 are reported by mistake and to be excluded at national level. Out of the 545 not confirmed taxa, 28 are considered extinct or possibly extinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at clarifying the discussed distribution of Iris marsica, endemic to central Italy, the authors tested the application of molecular techniques for the correct identification of this taxon, especially towards the similar, non-native I. ×germanica. In fact, it was suspected that their morphological similarity would cause misidentification in the past, causing uncertainty of distributional data and consequently a weakening of conservation measures for I. marsica. After a comparison with the topotypical population of I. marsica, the authors found that DNA barcoding based on plastid sequences and nuclear microsatellites markers represents an effective identification tool, perfectly congruent with the preliminary morphological analyses and the chromosome counts. According to the results and despite some recent indications, I. marsica actually occurs also outside the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise (central Italy), in further protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An updated inventory of the native vascular flora of Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 8195 taxa (6417 species and 1778 subspecies), distributed in 1092 genera and 152 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms and 8034 angiosperms. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7483, while 568 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 99 are doubtfully occurring in the country and 19 are data deficient. Out of the 568 not confirmed taxa, 26 are considered extinct or possibly extinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nameThymus dalmaticusvar.carstiensis, basionym ofTh. carstiensis, is here lectotypified. This taxon is currently regarded as the hybrid betweenTh. longicaulisandTh. pulegioidesor as a synonym ofTh. serpyllum. A morphological comparison amongTh. dalmaticusvar.carstiensisand its putative parental species are performed. A detailed morphological description and information about habitat, phenology, distribution and taxonomy are provided. Furthermore,Th. carstiensisis here recorded for the first time from Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An update on the taxonomy and geographic distribution of the genusThymusin Sicily is given. This study is based on literature, herbarium and field investigations. In total, five taxa belonging toThymussect.Serpyllum(Th.richardiisubsp.nitidus,Th.longicaulisandTh.praecoxsubsp.parvulus) andTh.sect.Hyphodromi(Th.spinulosusandTh.paronychioides) occur in Sicily. For each one, information about taxonomy, habitat, phenology, chromosome number and distribution are provided. Furthermore, the nameThymus pedicillatusLojac. is here typified. Finally, an analytical key for the identification of the studied taxa is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“The New Red List of the Italian Flora” includes all the Italian policy species and other species of known conservation concerns for a total of 400taxa, 65% of which are threatened with extinction. The Red List is based on a huge georeferenced data-set useful for conservation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic and taxonomic position ofGeum micropetalum, a controversial species currently treated as endemic to Italy, is discussed. The nameG. micropetalumis here typified and shown to be a heterotypic synonym ofG. urbanum. Herbarium survey evidenced the historical presence in Italy ofG. heterocarpum. Duringad hocfield investigations carried out in 2012, we were able to confirm the presence of this species in a single small population, the only one known from Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large amount of morphological variability within Fritillaria montana Hoppe ex W.D.J. Koch, a southeastern European species described from northeastern Italy, led to the creation of several further taxa: Fritillaria caussolensis Goaty & Pons ex Adoino from southeastern France, Fritillaria orsiniana Parl. from central Italy, Fritillaria intermedia N. Terracc. and Fritillaria pollinensis N. Terracc. from southern Italy. Aiming to test the taxonomic value of these taxa, a biometric study of both herbarium and living specimens of F. montana s.l. is carried out. A total of 22 morphological features were analysed and measured in 417 plants from 46 different localities, including loci classici of all the involved taxa. In addition, typical populations of F. montana, F. caussolensis, F. intermedia, F. orsiniana and F. pollinensis and also several other Italian populations resulted with 2n = 18 chromosomes. We also counted 2n = 27 chromosomes in endotriploid cells of plants from Abruzzo. However, there is no clear-cut correlation between morphology and karyology. The biometric analysis, together with many observations on fresh material in the field, revealed that F. montana is a single polymorphic species with no infraspecific taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]