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Within taxonomic studies on Allium sect. Codonoprasum from Mediterranean flora, populations belonging to A. hirtovaginum Candargy group were examined. Based on field investigation and herbarium surveyes, this group is represented by very critical and not well known taxa, distributed in the East Mediterranean, showing a marked morphological variability. Currently, the species referable to this group in addition to A. hirtovaginum are also A. pilosum Sibth. & Sm., A. aeginiense Brullo, Giusso & Terrasi and A. nerimaniae Koçyiğit & Kaya. Besides, other 13 species are here described as new to science, they are A. pythagoricum, A. pignattii, A. hippocraticum, A. abanticum, A. velutinum, A. carium, A. papillosum, A. adenanthum, A. smyrnaeum, A. pavonianum, A. denticulatum and A. compactatum. A detailed morphological description together with a careful illustration, as well as remarks on their karyology, phenology, ecology, geographic distribution, and taxonomic relationships are provided for each investigated species. An analytical key regarding all the species attributable to this group was processed too.

L’Italia è localizzata al centro del bacino Mediterraneo, uno tra i centri di biodiversità a livello globale più minacciati. La sua eterogeneità ambientale e climatica ha permesso la differenziazione di un ampio numero di specie vegetali (oltre 8,200 taxa), che tuttavia sono sottoposte ad un crescente numero di minacce principalmente legate ai cambiamenti di dinamiche socio-economiche. Pertanto, urgenti misure di conservazione sono necessarie per fermare la perdita di diversità vegetale e conservare il patrimonio naturale del nostro paese. Questo volume è il prodotto finale di un progetto iniziato nel 2012, finanziato dal Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare, portato avanti dalla Società Botanica Italiana. Complessivamente, i criteri per la redazione delle liste rosse elaborati dalla IUCN sono stati applicati a 2.488 taxa della flora vascolare autoctona del nostro paese, al fine di valutare il loro attuale stato di conservazione e mettere in evidenza le principali minacce che incombono su di esse. Dopo la pubblicazione del primo volume (2013), che include la valutazione di tutte le specie italiane incluse nelle normative ratificate a livello nazionale (policy species), quali le specie elencate negli allegati della Direttiva 92/43/UE “Habitat” e negli allegati della Convenzione di Berna, in questo contributo è stato valutato un ulteriore gruppo di 2.191 taxa, incluse tutte le specie endemiche italiane non ancora sottoposte ad assessment. I risultati pubblicati nel presente volume hanno rilevato che 37 taxa sono estinti, estinti in natura o verosimilmente estinti a livello regionale (inclusi 11 taxa endemici), mentre 420 taxa (inclusi 228 taxa endemici) sono stati assegnati ad una categoria di rischio. Inoltre, 338 taxa (inclusi 248 taxa endemici) sono stati inseriti nella categoria DD, ovvero specie per cui i dati a disposizione sono insufficienti per una valutazione. La flora vascolare italiana è minacciata soprattutto dalla modificazione degli habitat naturali e semi-naturali, dovuta al disturbo antropico e, specialmente, ad agricoltura, turismo e sviluppo residenziale. Il numero più alto di taxa estinti o in declino è infatti localizzato nelle zone costiere e di pianura, dove gli impatti antropici e la distruzione degli ecosistemi sono più evidenti. La valutazione di circa un terzo dei taxa vegetali spontanei del nostro paese costituisce un importante passo verso la conservazione della flora italiana. Tuttavia, per mettere in atto una strategia di conservazione efficace del paesaggio naturale italiano e in particolare della flora vascolare, ulteriori ricerche ed approfondimenti sono necessari. Sarebbe infatti urgente risolvere alcune criticità tassonomiche, effettuare monitoraggi sulle specie minacciate e sviluppare strategie specifiche di conservazione in situ ed ex situ e piani di azione specie specifici.

Nell’ambito di ricerche biosistematiche condotte sulla flora endemica della Sicilia, viene esaminata sotto il profilo morfologico Arabis madonia C.Presl, una specie ancora poco nota e critica sotto il profilo tassonomico.

This study was performed on 6 species of Kali from different habitats and bioclimatic conditions in order to determine the structural differences and variability rate between plant populations from maritime and inland areas, particularly morpho-anatomic functional traits of stem and leaf which allow them to survive under specific environmental conditions.

Per approfondire il grado di variabilità morfo-anatomica delle strutture vegetative nel genere Kali, è stato avviato uno studio su sei specie legate a condizioni bioclimatiche ed edafiche differenti. In particolare, sono state analizzate e messe a confronto sezioni trasversali di fusto della zona basale, foglie adulte, brattee e plantule, ottenute da campioni vivi coltivati in analoghe condizioni di crescita per minimizzare l’espressione dei caratteri epigenetici.

Sono riportati i risultati relativi alla caratterizzazione morfologica, distribuzione attuale , ecologia e correlazioni sistematiche della specie endemica Anthemis aeolica

The 4th National Report ex Art. 17 of the 92/43/EEC Directive in Italy (period 2013-2018) will try to fill a number of gaps still affecting the former versions of the Italian Reports, where territorial data were still missing for large parts of the country and the assessment was mostly based on the use of the expert opinion. Similar inconsistencies also emerged in other European countries (State of nature in the EU, EEA 2015). In order to reach this aim, a nationally shared protocol for monitoring the vegetation-based Annex I Habitats is currently under development. The most prominent issues addressed by the ongoing project are: i) fixing standardized, updated and scientifically grounded methodological tools, on the basis of the European guidelines (Evans & Arvela 2011, ETC-BD); ii) providing comparable data at national and European level; iii) harmonizing the territorially fragmented knowledge and iv) supporting nationally standardized measures for the conservation of terrestrial, brackish and freshwater Habitats. Promoted by the Italian Ministry for Environment (MATTM) and coordinated by the environmental agency ISPRA, the development of such a tool is being carried out by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science, with the support of a large team of experts. Open issues, such as the favourable reference values and the optimal thresholds for each considered parameter (range,area, structure and function), have to be dealt with, in a condition of large uncertainty. Due to its centrality in the assessment process, especially the concept of "typical species" should be developed with care, trying to combine the need for synthetic indicators with the great floristic diversity of the Italian Habitats. A clear definition of the parameters is crucial for a correct application of the monitoring protocol, to successfully contribute to the whole process of halting biodiversity loss in Europe.

The richness and uniqueness of the flora growing on gypsum substrates in Italy is known since the XIX century (Macchiati, 1888). Furthermore, the concept of plant gypsophily can be defined as the exclusiveness (or virtually exclusiveness) for living in gypsum outcropping rocks. Thus only those plant species, which show preference – or even exclusivity - for gypsum substrates, would be classified as gipsophilous (Mota et al., 2011). The main aim of this research has been the elaboration of a checklist of the Italian gypsophilous flora. The study was made possible through international collaboration between the "Mediterranea" University of Reggio Calabria (Italy) and the University of Almería (Spain). During the first step, an extensive literature review has been carried out in order to collect all available information about gypsophilous flora and to compile a preliminary list. Afterwards 18 regional botanists experts on Italian gypsum flora have been asked to rank the preference of these species for gypsum soils. Following the methodology proposed by Mota et al. (2009), the gypsophilous character of more than 100 plant species has been thus ranked on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 (with 5 representing for a total dependence on gypsum substrates). According to the obtained values, all the plant species, ranking between absolute or preferent gypsophytes, will figure in the final checklist of the gypsophytes of the whole Italian territory.

The 4th National Report ex Art. 17 of the 92/43/EEC Directive in Italy (period 2013-2018) will try to fill a number of gaps still affecting the former versions of the Italian Reports, where territorial data were still missing for large parts of the country and the assessment was mostly based on the use of the expert opinion. Similar inconsistencies also emerged in other European countries (State of nature in the EU, EEA 2015). In order to reach this aim, a nationally shared protocol for monitoring the vegetation-based Annex I Habitats is currently under development. The most prominent issues addressed by the ongoing project are: i) fixing standardized, updated and scientifically grounded methodological tools, on the basis of the European guidelines (Evans & Arvela 2011, ETC-BD); ii) providing comparable data at national and European level; iii) harmonizing the territorially fragmented knowledge and iv) supporting nationally standardized measures for the conservation of terrestrial, brackish and freshwater Habitats. Promoted by the Italian Ministry for Environment (MATTM) and coordinated by the environmental agency ISPRA, the development of such a tool is being carried out by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science, with the support of a large team of experts. Open issues, such as the favourable reference values and the optimal thresholds for each considered parameter (range, area, structure and function), have to be dealt with, in a condition of large uncertainty. Due to its centrality in the assessment process, especially the concept of "typical species" should be developed with care, trying to combine the need for synthetic indicators with the great floristic diversity of the Italian Habitats. A clear definition of the parameters is crucial for a correct application of the monitoring protocol, to successfully contribute to the whole process of halting biodiversity loss in Europe.

The methodological foundations of the recently published Manual for Annex I Habitats monitoring in Italy, edited by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) with the scientific support of the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (SISV), are here presented, discussed and related to the most consolidated and acknowledged scientific advances in the field of Vegetation science. The proposed methodologies aim at offering simple, yet effective, protocols and procedures towards a harmonized data collection, by way of standardized and shared technical tools, resulting in comparable evaluations of the conservation status of Annex I Habitats. The methodological framework was developed by experts including a large team of members of the SISV. Big efforts were deployed to provide indicators and parameters for biodiversity monitoring able to catch its complexity, yet simple enough to be easily measured. Diagnosis and syntaxonomical correspondences of Habitat types, sampling procedure, plot size, distribution mapping, typical species are among the principal issues here examined through a widely shared scientific discussion. The final product is a comprehensive Manual, which offers practical but scientifically sound methodological tools for an efficient and effective monitoring of Annex I Habitats. The importance of bridging across the science-policy interface is emphasized, in a general will to improve the impact of Vegetation science on conservation policy development in Europe.

Allium paniculatum L. is commonly recorded from the Euro-Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions. Evidence from literature and herbarium collections revealed that many different taxa of A. sect. Codonoprasum Rchb., all characterized by big size, diffuse and densely flowered umbrella, very long spathe valves, long pedicels, and cylindrical-campanulate perigon, have been wrongly attributed to this species thus affecting records on its geographic distribution and morphological characterization. In order to define the true identity of A. paniculatum, we analyzed specimens coming from the type locality (Don River), and provided details on morphology, ecology, karyology, leaf anatomy, seed morphology and seed coat micro-sculpturing. Taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships with related species of sect. Codonoprasum and with other taxa of different sections were investigated by means of morphological characters and molecular data from the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) nrDNA and the trnH-psbA cpDNA region. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses of molecular data recovered two main clades in A. sect. Codonoprasum and clearly separated A. paniculatum from related taxa. The taxonomic implications of these patterns of relationships are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting in-depth phylogenetic relationships within A. sect. Codonoprasum.

A partire dall’entrata in vigore della Direttiva 92/43/EEC, la sorveglianza dello stato di conservazione degli habitat elencati nell’Allegato I ed il relativo monitoraggio periodico a intervalli di sei anni sono diventati un obbligo per tutti i paesi membri dell’UE, in base a quanto previsto negli Articoli 11 e 17. Nel 2011 è stato pubblicato un documento che fornisce le linee guida di riferimento europee per il monitoraggio di habitat e specie (Evans & Arvela 2011). Su questa base metodologica, la Società Italiana di Scienza della Vegetazione (SISV), avvalendosi di un ampio gruppo di soci esperti, ha avviato un dibattito interno su principi, criteri, parametri e strumenti per il monitoraggio degli habitat di Allegato I e dei tipi di vegetazione in essi rappresentati. Il progetto è stato promosso dal Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare e coordinato dall’Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, e si trova al momento in una fase prossima alla conclusione. A partire dalla documentazione già prodotta a livello nazionale per gli habitat italiani (Biondi et al., 2009, 2012, 2014; Genovesi et al., 2014), diversi aspetti critici sono stati esaminati attraverso una discussione scientifica ampiamente condivisa. In particolare, sono stati affrontati: gli aspetti legati alla scelta di strumenti adeguati per valutare i parametri area, struttura e funzione, prospettive future; il concetto di "specie tipica"; i metodi di campionamento habitat-specifici appropriati. Il protocollo sviluppato si pone come uno strumento pratico ed efficace, scientificamente valido e in linea con gli standard metodologici internazionali. Il suo utilizzo permetterà una raccolta armonizzata di dati su scala nazionale, rendendo possibile una valutazione comparata dello stato di conservazione di ciascun habitat.

A syntaxonomical revision of the class Querco-Fagetea sylvaticae in Sicily, based on literature data and unpublished relevés, is presented. This class groups the mesophilous woods characterized by the dominance of deciduous trees (e.g. Fagus sylvatica, Quercus sp. pl., Acer sp. pl.), and more rarely by conifers (Taxus baccata, Pinus nigra subsp. calabrica), as well as by other broadleaved trees, such as Betula aetnensis, Populus tremula, Castanea sativa. In Sicily, these woody communities are widespread in the northern and north-eastern districts of the island, chiefly on the highest peaks (Madonie, Nebrodi, Peloritani, and Etna). This class is represented in Sicily by two, both floristically and ecologically well differentiated orders: Fagetalia sylvaticae, with the sole alliance Geranio versicoloris-Fagion sylvaticae, and Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, with the endemic alliance Pino calabricae-Quercion congestae. On the whole, 22 associations have been recognized within the class Querco-Fagetea and for each of them nomenclature, floristic assessment, ecology, syndinamic relationships, and chorology are examined.

Pancratium L. is the most widespread genus of the Eurasian clade of Amaryllidaceae. It includes about 20 species of bulbous herbaceous geophytes, naturally occurring only in Macaronesia, Mediterranean basin, and throughout Africa to tropical Asia, but also introduced and cultivated in many countries (De Castro & al.2012). Pancratium species generally occur in specialized habitats, such as dry rocky slopes, cliffs, sandy seashores, coastal dunes, desert sandy soils. Leaf features are the main adaptive strategies of these plants in response to the numerous environmental constraints. Leaves in Pancratium show a gross morphological identity being usually glaucous, ensiform, parallel-veined, plane-convex to slightly V-shaped, straight to curly or spirally twisted. Difference at macroscopic level also regards leaf tip (acute to obtuse) and lamina width, ranging among different species from 0.2 up to 5 cm. Despite such uniformity of the leaf visible traits, micro-morphological and anatomical characteristics reveal significant variation both at intra-specific and inter-specific levels, which have proven to strongly depend on adaptation to microclimatic and ecological local conditions, such as temperature, water availability, insolation (Morton 1965; Sultan &al.2010; Perrone & al. 2013, 2015). Here we present preliminary results of a comparative morpho-anatomical study carried out on leaves of some species of Pancratium from different localities of Mediterranean area in order to assess the range of inter-specific variation to be used as additional evidence for taxonomic delimitation, as well as population similarity or dissimilarity related to ecological adaptation. Selected species were P. sickenbergeri Boiss., P. foetidum Pomel, P. illyricum L., and P. maritimum L., including plants from Linosa (Pelagie Islands) previously referred to P. linosae Soldano & F. Conti, a taxonomic distinction not supported by molecular data (De Castro & al.2012; Giovino & al. 2015). Morphometric analysis and statistics were made on 37 micro-morphological and anatomical characters calculated from 10 samples for each population. The significance of variation for each trait was tested by one-way ANOVA. Data comparison was made by three multivariate approaches: stepwise DFA, PCA, and UPGMA cluster analysis based on squared Euclidean distance. The comparative analysis of leaf traits of the investigated taxa of Pancratium confirmed a rather stable and uniform leaf morpho-anatomical structure (Rudall 1995). Notwithstanding, significant differences in the size, number and/or type of several micro-morphological and anatomical leaf traits were detected as clearly linked to specific environmental conditions. As expected, leaves of P. sickenbergeri from Israeli desert showed the major mix of xeromorphic characteristics, such as very undulate leaf surface, the thickest epidermis and palisade tissue, the lowest number of veins which are very narrow, high stomata index, wide mesophyll with large spongy tissue. Samples clustered according to taxa in all multivariate analyses. Cross-validation results of the discriminant analysis provided sample percentages correctly classified to each group ranging from 90% to 100% with respect to P. sickenbergeri, P. illyricum, and P. maritimum from Is. of Linosa, while the overall percentage was 63.33%, due to some overlapping of different populations of P.maritimum and P.foetidum from Algeria. In summary, there is a strong relationships between leaf morpho-anatomical traits and ecological adaptation to different microclimatic conditions. In addition, our study also revealed marked diversity between the examined populations of P. foetidum coming from different habitats, with leaves of long-term cultivated samples at Catania Botanical Garden highly diverging from those ones of wild N African specimens.

Significant karyological variation occurs amongst different taxa/populations in the A. cupani group. The ancestral diploid chromosome complement is 2n = 16 (x = 8), but populations of A. cupani s.l. also exhibit dysploidy (2n = 14), polyploidy (2n = 4x = 32, 2n = 4x = 30). These different chromosome assets are associated to specific diagnostic morphological characters and well-defined eco-geographical patterns, which cluster different taxa and populations in 5 series (Brullo&al. 1995, 2008). In order to test the impact of inter-and intra-specific variation in chromosome structure on the systematic treatment of the A. cupani group and its contribution to allow comparing and understanding affinities and relationships among taxa, multivariate statistics was applied to 34 karyomorphometric parameters from 34 samples belonging to 22 taxa which represent the main variability with respect to morphological, cytological and ecological patterns within A. cupani s. l.

A better understanding of morphological, ultra-structural and anatomical seed coat characteristics can contribute to explain and predict seed performance under certain environmental conditions and select the most suitable treatments promoting seed germination. The Seed Banks at the Botanic Gardens of Catania and Palermo (Sicily) are particularly involved in research studies aimed to detect and describe macro- and micro-morphological features of seeds from different plant families and genera, using both light and scanning electron microscopy. These studies mainly aim to 1) recognize and compare inter- and intra-specific variation of seed coat traits, with particular attention on rare and threatened species; 2) evaluate the usefulness of these traits in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies; 3) establish correlations between seed coat structures and seed germination; 4) understand the seed coat adaptive potential and sensitivity to particular ecological conditions and changing environments.

The phylogenetics and biogeography of Pancratium (Amaryllidaceae) were investigated, with a focus on the Mediterranean and adjacent areas, with the aim of contributing new information towards a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the genus and the taxonomic placement of P. linosae and P. hirtum. To address these questions, we sequenced four plastid DNA markers: the ndhF and rbcL genes, the trnL(UAA)-trnF(GAA) intergenic spacer and the trnL(UAA) intron, analysing them using parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian approaches. The results show that the relationships among the majority of the species are resolved; however, the relationships of one of the major clades of the genus are unresolved compared with the others. The phylogenetic and the dispersal–vicariance analyses show that Pancratium appears as a well-structured group with interesting patterns of speciation. Notably, P. arabicum and P. linosae fall within the P. maritimum complex. In addition, P. hirtum is identical, in terms of plastid DNA sequences, to the P. trianthum accessions. The results provide new insights and help to formulate new working hypotheses for evolutionary biology of the genus.

Si riportano i risultati di uno studio sui caratteri morfologici e ultrastrutturali delle cipsele dei taxa siciliani di Helichrysum e sulla variabilità esistente con lo scopo di valutarne l'uso a fini tassonomici. Campioni di diaspore, relativi a 23 accessioni di 12 diversi taxa, sono stati sottoposti a esame macro-micromorfologico e ultrastrutturale al SEM. I dati sono stati elaborati statisticamente mediante ANOVA e varie analisi multivariate (AFD, ACP, CAG).

A new species of Silene sect. Dipterosperma, named S. nefelites C. Brullo, S. Brullo, Giusso & Ilardi spec. nova, from Sicily is described and illustrated. Some of the characteristics are pinnately nerved leaves, 10–25 mm long bracts and 10– 15 mm long filaments. It is a therophyte occurring on the top of Mt. Erice, near Trapani, where it grows on calcareous rocky stands. Its relationships with S. colorata and allied species are also examined. A key to the Sicilian species belonging to S. sect. Dipterosperma is provided Eine neue Art von Silene sect. Dipterosperma, nämlich S. nefelites C. Brullo, S. Brullo, Giusso & Ilardi spec. nova von Sizilien wird beschrieben und illustriert. Einige der Merkmale sind fiedernervige Blätter, 10–25 mm lange Brakteen und 10– 15 mm lange Filamente. Sie ist ein Therophyt, der im Gipfelbereich des Mt. Erice bei Trapani auf Kalkfels-Standorten vorkommt. Die Beziehungen zu S. colorata und verwandten Arten wurden studiert. Weiters bringen wir einen Bestimmungsschlüssel für die sizilianischen Arten von S. sect. Dipterosperma

Questo contributo presenta i risultati di uno studio di filogenesi molecolare sulla sez. Codonoprasum, con particolare riferimento alle specie a fioritura autunnale. Per confronto sono state inserite le specie a fioritura tardiva di altri sottogeneri e sezioni, insieme ad altri taxa non tardivi della sez. Codonoprasum e di altre sezioni filogeneticamente più affini. Le analisi sono state svolte con marcatori nucleari (ITS) e plastidiali (trnL-trnF, trnH-psbA) su un totale di 66 accessioni, utilizzano i metodi di massima parsimonia e inferenza bayesiana.

Silene kemoniana, a new species of the section Dipterosperma from NW Sicily, is described and illustrated. It is a therophyte that occurs in mountains near Palermo, where it grows on Mesozoic limestones in xerophilous garigues. Its relationships with S. colorata and allied species are also examined. A key of the species belonging to sect. Dipterosperma is provided. Se describe e ilustra Silene kemoniana, una nueva especie del NW de Sicilia perteneciente a la sección Dipterosperma. Se trata de un terófito que habita en algunas montañas próximas a Palermo, donde crece sobre calizas mesozoicas entre matorrales mediterráneos xerófilos. Se estudian sus relaciones con S. colorata y otras especies próximas. Se ofrece una clave para todas las especies pertenecientes a la sect. Dipterosperma.

Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) Bieb. fu descritto da Pallas (1771) con il nome di Salicornia strobilacea su campioni provenienti dal Mar Caspio. Questo arbusto succulento fu successivamente segnalato per varie località costiere e dell’entroterra del Mediterraneo, dell’Europa orientale e dei territori interni dell’Asia Minore e centrale fino alla Mongolia. In passato vari autori hanno evidenziato che le popolazioni costiere del Mediterraneo risultano abbastanza differenziate dalle quelle dell’entroterra dei territori euro-asiatici, corrispondenti queste ultime alla specie sensu strictu. Le differenze riguardano soprattutto l’habitus, come pure alcuni rilevanti caratteri morfologici, già evidenziati da Forskål (1775), Todaro (1873), Lojacono-Pojero (1904) e Yaprak & Kadereit (2008). In particolare, H. strobilaceum s.str. è un arbusto di colore glauco o verde-giallastro, con habitus prostrato strisciante o prostrato ascen- dente, raggiungente un’altezza di 20-60 cm, spighe lunghe 5-15 mm e larghe 2-3 mm, di forma variante da sub-globosa a cilindrica, semi con cellule della testa piane o leggermente convesse. Nel Mediterraneo le popolazioni di H. strobilaceum s.l. si presentano come arbusti di colore giallo-pallido verdastro alti fino a 150 cm ad habitus eretto o eretto ascendente, spighe sempre globose (4-5 × 3-4 mm), semi con cellule della testa con una papilla più o meno sviluppata soprattutto lungo il rafe. Sotto il profilo nomenclaturale le popolazioni dell’Egitto furono descritte da Forskål (1775) come Salicornia cruciata, specie successivamente segnalata anche in Sicilia da Gussone (1843), mentre Tausch (1832) e Moquin-Tandon (1840) la considerarono un sinonimo di H. strobilaceum. In seguito, Todaro (1873) rigettò questa sinonimia conside- rando S. cruciata, che attribuì al genere Halocnemum, come una specie ben distinta dal tipico H. strobilaceum, caratterizzato da un habitus strisciante con rami prostrato-patenti e amenti meno succulenti. Questo autore indicò la presenza di H. cruciatum in Egitto, Sicilia e Sardegna. In precedenza Moquin-Tandon (1849) riconobbe pure S. cruciata Forssk., considerandola però come una varietà di H. strobilaceum. Anche Lojacono (1904) evidenziò che le popolazioni sici- liane si differenziavano abbastanza bene da quelle di H. strobilaceum s. str. e le attribuì ad una nuova specie indicata come H. drepanensis, includendovi tra i sinonimi S. drepanensis Tin. ined., S. cruciata Forssk. e H. strobilaceum var. cruciatum Moq. Il nome proposto da Lojacono (l.c.) è chiaramente un nome illegittimo. Recentemente Yaprak & Kadereit (2008) hanno descritto per l’Anatolia meridionale la nuova specie, H. yurdakulolii, evidenziandone le rilevanti differenze morfologiche da H. strobilaceum s.str. Anche questo nome risulta illegittimo in quanto le relati- ve popolazioni coincidono morfologicamente con H. cruciatum. Pertanto, in base ai dati di letteratura, ricerche d’erbario e osservazioni in campo, viene con- fermato che le popolazioni mediterranee sono nel complesso ben distinte da quelle dell’Europa orientale e dei territori asiatici continentali. Si ritiene opportuno quindi considerare i taxa in oggetto come due distinte specie, di cui viene presentato un prospetto nomenclaturale: Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) M. Bieb., Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 3:3, 1819 Sin.: Salicornia strobilacea Pall., Reise 1:412, 1771. Distribuzione: Europa orientale, dalla Grecia all’Ucraina, territori Irano-Turaniani (Anatolia, Caucaso, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan), Arabia, Cina, Mongolia, Siberia, Kazakhstan). Halocnemum cruciatum (Forssk.) Tod., Nuov. Giorn. Bot. 159, 1873. Sin.: Salicornia cruciata Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.:2, 1775;Salicornia drepanensis Tin. in Guss., Fl. Sic. Prodr. Suppl., 1:2, 1832, pro syn.; Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) M. Bieb. var. cruciatum (Forssk.) Moq. in Dc., Prodr. 13(sect. post):149, 1849; Halocnemum drepanensis Lojac. Fl. Sic. 2(2): 277, 1904; H. yurdakulolii Yaprak in Yaprak & Kadereit, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 158: 717, 2008. Distribuzione: Mediterraneo. In Italia è presente in Toscana a Palude della Trappola (Maremma), Emilia-Romagna a Bellocchio e Sicilia occidentale, nelle Saline di Trapani e Isola Lunga dello Stagnone. Per quando riguarda le popolazioni della Sardegna meridio- nale (Santa Gilla e Sant’Antioco), queste in effetti si differenziano abbastanza da quelle della Sicilia e Penisola Italiana, avvicinandosi per alcuni caratteri ad H. strobilaceum s.str. I risultati di queste indagini morfologiche, effettuate su materiale fresco e campioni d’er- bario, saranno oggetto di un successivo lavoro.

After a general outline on the syntaxonomical framework of the class Pegano harmalae-Salsoletea vermiculatae Br.-Bl. & O. Bolos 1958, the occurrence of this vegetation in the Italian territory is examined. In Italy, this vegetation is mostly found on clayish or marly substrata, particularly if slightly enriched with nitrates and chlorides. With reference to the Rivas-Martı´nez bioclimatic classification, the Italian stands have an infra- to thermo-Mediterranean thermotype (marginally up to the meso- Mediterranean one) with dry or arid ombrotype. In particular, this vegetation is well represented in Sicily, while in Sardinia and along the Italian Peninsula, it progressively becomes more rare and localized. Altogether, 21 associations are recognized, 11 of which are described here for the first time. The surveyed associations are ascribed to the following alliances: Salsolo oppositifoliae-Suaedion mollis (linked to less disturbed and more thermo-xeric habitats) and Artemision arborescentis (more disturbed and less thermo-xeric habitats). Finally, some conservation issues are discussed.

Allium cithaeronis, a new species of A. sect. Scorodon from Greece is described and illustrated. Its chromosome number (2n=16), karyogram, leaf anatomy, ecology, taxonomical relationship are examined. For some morphological features, such as exerted stamens from perigon and tuberculate lobes in the upper part of the ovary,it represents a very isolated species within the A. sect. Scorodon.

Allium achaium Boiss. & Orph. ex Boiss. (Alliaceae), a critical and misappreciated species of Greek flora is investigated from taxonomic point of view and illustrated. It belongs to A. sect. Codonoprasum and shows close relationships with the taxa of the A. stamineum Boiss group. Besides, its karyology, ecology and distribution are examined.

Il lavoro analizza i risultati di indagini micromorfologiche su taxa annuali del genere Astragalus. Le analisi morfometriche e quelle ultrastrutturali condotte al SEM evidenziano modelli d'architettura differenti e di rilevanza tassonomica nel gruppo.

Vengono illustrate le serie di vegetazione della Sicilia, descritte sulla base delle conoscenze fitosociologiche e di un’interessante integrazione di dati climatici e litomorfologici. Il contributo, inserito nel volume “La Vegetazione d’Italia”, è corredato anche dalla Carta delle Serie di Vegetazione in scala 1:500.000. Si tratta del documento cartografico attualmente più aggiornato che meglio evidenzia, a piccola scala, la complessa eterogeneità ambientale del nostro Paese. Questo documento illustra su base fitosociologica le ragioni dell’eccezionale biodiversità floristica e vegetazionale d’Italia.

Basing on literature data and unpublished relevés from Sicily, a survey of the syntaxa belonging to the class Lygeo-Stipetea Rivas-Martínez 1978 is presented. This perennial vegetation is characterized by the dominance of big caespitose hemicryptophytes, and it is widely distributed in Sicily from the sea level up to 1500 m a.s.l. The class is represented in Sicily by two orders, floristically and ecologically well differentiated: Lygeo-Stipetalia, including the sole alliance Moricandio-Lygeion exclusively of clayey substrates, and Hyparrhenietalia hirtae, including five alliances (Hyparrhenion hirtae, Avenulo cincinnatae-Ampelodesmion mauritanici, Thero-Brachypodion ramosi, Bromo-Oryzopsion miliaceae, and Arundion collinae) occurring on various substrates. Within the class, 50 associations have been recognized. To support the syntaxonomic proposal, a multivariate numerical analysis, considering literature and personal data, has been performed. Nomenclature, floristic settlement, ecology, syndynamism and chorology are examined for each syntaxon.

Oggetto di questo studio è una singolare popolazione di Allium a fioritura autunnale, rinvenuta presso Reggio Calabria (Italia meridionale), la quale, per alcune caratteristiche vegetative e fiorali, rientra chiaramente nella sezione Allium. Le piante sono caratterizzate da un habitus robusto, foglie subcilindriche ampiamente fistolose, spata unica, caduca, slargata, con appendice fistolosa, lacerantesi lateralmente, infiorescenza globosa, densa, perianzio cilindrico con tepali conniventi, stami con filamenti laminari, dimorfi, gli esterni semplici e gli interni tricuspidati, e ovario con nettari ben sviluppati. Oltre alla fioritura tardiva (IX-X), gli individui di questa popolazione, presenti per altro in numero esiguo (

Dalle indagini morfologiche e cariologiche condotte è emerso che Allium paniculatum è una specie ben differenziata dagli altri taxa della sez. Codonoprasum, con corredo cromosomico poliploide, esaploide o triploide, probabilmente originatosi in seguito all’adattamento ad ambienti sinantropici in territori con bioclima marcatamente mesico, come si desume dalle esigenze ecologiche, dal periodo di fioritura estivo e dalla distribuzione geografica.