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“Manna” is the product obtained from the solidification of the elaborate sap that comes out of the incisions made during the summer season on the stem and on the main branches of some species of the genus Fraxinus (Oleaceae). The cultivation of manna ash trees dates back to ancient times in Sicily and elsewhere ash trees – known as sacred trees, a symbol of abundance and therefore auspicious – was increasingly widespread until the middle of the last century. Subsequently, however, the crop underwent a progressive decline, remaining relegated to restricted areas of Sicily, in particular in the Madonie district (Palermo, Italy). In this brief review, the essential characteristics of the manna and the ash trees from which it is extracted are summarized. The aspects of the current productivity of manna in the Sicilian territory and the implications of a potential recovery and increase of an ancient craft, ash tree cultivation, are also reported in a perspective of sustainable development and green economy for the Mediterranean area and beyond. Finally, the authors remember what has been done to ensure the conservation not only of the active cultivation of manna ash but also of all the relative agro-biodiversity. The conservation of the living germplasm of the ancient cultivars recovered in the Madonie area (Palermo, Sicily) represents one of the most qualifying results.

As part of a project aimed at investigating the Matthiola taxa endemic to Sicily (Italy), this study focused on Matthiola incana, an edible species used in the traditional medicine of various countries. Herein, the characterization of phenolic and volatile compounds, the antioxidant capacity in vitro (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays) and the toxicity test (Artemia salina lethality bioassay) of the hydroalcoholic extracts from the aerial parts of M. incana subsp. rupestris from Mt. Pellegrino (Palermo) and Mt. Erice (Trapani), and of M. incana subsp. pulchella are reported. The results are compared with those previously shown for M. incana subsp. incana, to achieve a comprehensive overview of the three subspecies. The HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS and SPME-GC/MS analyses led to the identification of 13 phenolics and 54 volatile compounds. Differences in the qualitative-quantitative profile of these phytochemicals have been highlighted between the M. incana subspecies. The antioxidant tests showed different activity for the extracts, which were found to possess better chelating properties. At last, none of the tested extracts displayed toxicity against brine shrimp larvae. These findings enrich the knowledge on the Matthiola taxa growing wild in Sicily, both from the strictly systematic point of view and for the possible applications as sources bioactive compounds that can be used in the nutraceutical field.

Kozuharova, E., Panayotov, M. & Spadaro, V.: Autecology and ex situ growth of Leontopodium nivale subsp. nivale (Asteraceae) from North Pirin marbles (SW Bulgaria). — Fl. Medit. 28: 187-206. 2018. — ISSN: 1120-4052 printed, 2240-4538 online. Leontopodium nivale subsp. nivale is a local and disjunct endemic of the central Apennines in Italy and the Pirin Mountains in Bulgaria. The aim of this study is to investigate in situ microhabitat specifics and ex situ ontogenesis regarding the possible future cultivation and to evaluate hazards for wild populations in conditions of human impact and climate change. Leontopodium nivale subsp. nivale is stenobiont which is difficult to grow ex situ and therefore particularly vulnerable. Its wild habitats and populations in Pirin Mts. should be efficiently protected. The results of our study indicate that the stenobiontic plants such as Leontopodium nivale subsp. nivale are particularly subject to hazard.

In a previous contribution (1) the finding in the wild of Clinopodium minae (Lojac.) Peruzzi & F.Conti [Bas. Calamintha minae Lojac.], a critical species close to Clinopodium corsicum (Pers.) Govaerts and well distinct from Clinopodium alpinum (L.) Kuntze subsp. nebrodense (A.Kern. & Strobl) Bartolucci & F.Conti was reported. It is a critical taxon, described by Lojacono, author of the most extensive work on the Sicilian flora (2) based on the examination of the collections of the Herbarium of Palermo (PAL!) (3). In the above cited note, the specific characters as well as the taxonomic relationships with other taxa were highlighted. At the same time, the location of a small population of C. minae on the northern slopes of the calcareous system of the Carbonara, the highest mountain of the Madonie (N Sicily), was reported. Starting from this first population, field surveys have been extended to other localities of the Madonie. These have also enabled us to find C. minae also on the western slopes of Monte Quacella that, named the "Sicilian Alps" by the same Lojacono, is the richest area in mostly endemic plant species, with respect to Sicily (4). In this context, C. minae occurs on consolidated dolomite debris, in semi-shaded places, from 1450 to 1700 m, at margins of larger communities at Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica (J.Presl & C.Presl) Arcang. and Daphne oleoides Schreb., together with Odontarrhena nebrodensis (Tineo) L. Cecchi & Selvi subsp. nebrodensis, Clinopodium alpinum subsp. nebrodense, Anthemis arvensis subsp. sphacelata (C.Presl) R.Fern., Carlina nebrodensis DC., Centaurea parlatoris Heldr., Helianthemum cinereum subsp. rotundifolium (Dunal) Greuter & Burdet, H. oelandicum subsp. incanum (Willk.) G.López, Hypochoeris radicata L., Jurinea bocconei Guss., Laserpitium siler subsp. siculum (Spreng.) Santangelo, F.Conti & Gubellini, Linum punctatum C.Presl, Onosma echioides subsp. canescens (C.Presl) Peruzzi & N.G. Passal., Paeonia mascula (L.) Mill., Pilosella hoppeana subsp. sicula Di Grist., Gottschl. & Raimondo, Pimpinella tragium subsp. lithophila (Schischk.) Tutin, Orchis anthropophora (L) All., Sesleria nitida subsp. sicula Brullo & Giusso, Silene italica subsp. sicula (Ucria) Jeanm., Teucrium montanum L., Thymus striatus Vahl, and some grasses. Compared with the plants from the Carbonara Mount, the population of Quacella is much richer in individuals and shows an accentuated variability, not remarked in the taxonomic analysis by Lojacono. At present, however, based on the recently collected materials, C. minae occurs on both calcareous and dolomite substrates, above 1,450 m a.s.l. Based on the collections by A. Todaro housed in PAL! and in the course of field surveys, the authors do not exclude the possible occurrence of C. minae in other carbonatic reliefs in the province of Palermo.

Known as manna ashes, some local varieties of Fraxinus ornus L. and F. angustifolia Vahl (Oleaceae) are cultivated for extracting the manna, a product rich in mannose which is useful under both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical aspects. As wild plants in Sicily these ashes participate in diversifying evergreen and deciduous oak woods as well as other forest communities at the watercourse borders, together with several species of Salix, Populus and Ulmus, particularly in the hills. Cultivation of manna dates back to ancient times in Sicily and elsewhere and ash groves were increasingly spread up to the half of last century. Then, the culture had a progressive decline due to the abandonment of land and its gradual replacement by other crops. Most of the surface formerly occupied by ashes is now uncultivated and therefore also exposed to recurrent fires. As a consequence even the rich varietal heritage, documented by detailed monographs, went partially lost, although recently have not missed a revival of the local scientific community.In the face of the many thousands hectares occupied by these crops in the past, now residual plantations are confined in just a few hundred hectares in the territories of Castelbuono and Pollina (province of Palermo), in the northern side of the Madonie mountains. In this area the plant landscape had been strongly characterized by the ash groves, that besides acted an efficacious hydrogeological protection. At present, despite the progressive loss, the cultivation of manna ashes could still play an important role in the local economy. Therefore, in order to preserve all social, cultural and even biological values as well the landscape, it was proposed to establish a natural reserve of the manna ashes some decades ago; but that suggestion was later abandoned after the Madonie natural Park was estasblished. Nevertheless the Park has not, over the years, affected concretely the further abandonment of ash groves and the protection and conservation of the related landscape. Recently, the Sicilian Regional government has adopted some measures aimed at supporting farmers for replanting ash groves: these are active conservation initiatives for the produc- tion of manna. Here we find it useful to propose even passive measures such as reforestation like those implemented elsewhere in the province of Palermo with good results for the envi- ronment and landscape. Other initiatives, that could not be postponed, concern vocational training as well as research and conservation of ash varieties germplasm to be grown in specific arboretums such as those already implanted in the fields of the agricultural schools at Castelbuono (Palermo) and Mussomeli (Caltanissetta) and in the experimental plantations at Sparacia (Caltanissetta), SAF Department of the Palermo University.

The genus Calendula L. (Calenduleae Cass., Asteraceae) includes several species having medicinal properties. Pharmacological studies reveal, for instance, that C. officinalis L. exhibits antibacterial, antiviral, antinflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant properties; C. arvensis L. has antibacterial, antinflammatory, antimutagenic and haemolytic activities; C. suffruticosa Vahl has antimicrobial activity, especially against pathogenic microorganisms as Pseudomonas syringae Van Hall, Pseudomonas fluorescens (Flügge) Migula, Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson and Agrobacterium tumefaciens Smith & Townsend. Nevertheless, despite a long tradition of use of the above species, and others, the genus has not been explored properly (1). In this contribution, the chemical composition of the essential oils in flowers, leaves and seeds of Calendula suffruticosa, from Castelmola on the Peloritani Mountains (E Sicily), is described. C. suffruticosa is a perennial and highly variable species growing in the Mediterranean basin: in it, a lot of subspecies and some varieties are distinguished (2). In the Mediterranean area, according to Greuter (3) nine subspecies occur on the whole, two of which also occur in the Italian Peninsula and in Sicily. Namely, these are C. suffruticosa subsp. suffruticosa and C. suffruticosa subsp. fulgida (Raf.) Guadagno. In its intraspecific variability, the species has a distribution ranging from the south-western Mediterranean basin – North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco), southern coasts of Portugal and Spain, Italy (s.l.) and Malta – to the south east - Greece and western Turkey. In Italy besides in Tuscany and Marche, it is common in Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily, from the coast up to 500 m altitude. In Sicily, both the subsp. suffruticosa and fulgida occur. The results here reported on a chemical study of a population is referred to subsp. fulgida, but only temporarily, since there are some distinctive characters that suggest a taxonomic position independent on both the two subspecific taxa so far recognized for the Sicilian flora (4). The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation and were analysed by GC and GC–MS. On the whole, the essential oils are characterized by the presence of oxygenated sesquiterpenes, particularly β-eudesmol, and fatty acids, with hexadecanoic acid as the compound representative of this fraction and present in a very high concentration in the seeds. Along with this, essential oils from flowers and leaves also contain the diterpene neophytadiene while the flowers are the only parts of the plant in which sesquiterpene hydrocarbons are found. Owing to the chemical composition of other subspecies of C. suffruticosa is not still detected, the data obtained for the Castelmola population are a basic comparison term and a support to delimit the whole intraspecific taxa of the concerned species and besides to a more deeply taxonomic evaluation of the analyzed Sicilian population.

In Sicily, the academic botanical gardens of Catania, Messina and Palermo have been historically exerting a multiplicity of activities ranging from maintenance of ex situ collections to plant conservation policy, practice and ecological restoration, along with more traditional functions related to education and academic research. In the last decade’s, two new botanical gardens the “Nuova Gussonea” and the “Bernardino da Ucria, were created in Sicily, with the aim to play more delimited, yet modern and complementary roles. The garden “Nuova Gussonea”, within the Etna Natural Park, is mostly devoted to collect and preserve the native flora of the Mount Etna, with a special focus on endemic and rare plants and their promotion to a wider public. The garden “Bernardino da Ucria”, in the Nebrodi Natural Park, is mainly specialized in promoting the local culture and to collect and preserve the agro-biodiversity of officinal plants in the Nebrodi territory. It is located in the homonymous village in the Messina district where the famous “demonstrator of plants” and co founder of the Botanical Garden of Palermo University was born. Noteworthy, within Sicily the Nebrodi area is undoubtedly the widest and richest in traditional activities regarding agriculture, sheep farming and sylviculture, which produced an agrobiodiversity heritage often representative of individual community cultures. Initially promoted by Palermo University and sustained by the Nebrodi Regional Park, this garden comprises the “Banca vivente del Germoplasma vegetale dei Nebrodi”. Accessions conserved in vivo so far include cultivars of crops (Corylus, Pyrus, Malus, Prunus sp. pl, Ficus, Juglans), vegetables (Phaseolus and Lycopersicum) and officinal plants, that are in part representative of local agricultural practices. Among crops, the collections of Ficus, Pyrus and Corylus are remarkable; while among vegetables, the beans (Phaseolus) are represented by over 65 distinct cultivars, comprising 57 climbing and 8 dwarf species (1). Additionally, the garden’s bank hosts several botanical collections unrelated to the local flora, representative of officinal and ornamental genus, such as Salvia, Helleborus, Paeonia and Camelia. The cryopreserved accessions so far encompass the bean cultivars, mainly found within the Nebrodi Park area. The aim of this particular collection is to further exploit the local agricultural and food heritage by recovering and spreading among local farmers of autochthonous cultivars under extinction risk. Moreover, the garden has recently been equipped with a molecular biology laboratory, performing studies on the genetic diversity of the accessions, as well as activities instrumental to the creation of a related DNA bank, interconnected with the Palermo Botanical garden bank (HBP-Bank). In 2011, the botanical garden of Ucria hosted the Summer School “Knowledge, conservation and management of plant biodiversity of the Mediterranean mountain systems”, organized by Palermo University together with OPTIMA, and financially sponsored by the Nebrodi Park. Similarly, the Summer School “Management of plant biodiversity in the Mediterranean: ex situ conservation and germplasm banks” will be held in 2016. The activities of the new Ucria botanical garden and its germplasm bank, is supported by a dedicated Consortium, established by the Nebrodi Park together with Palermo University. The botanical garden “Bernardino da Ucria” is open to public in the spring and summer period. It is also offering didactic visits for educational purposes to several schools.

Smyrnium L., an Eurasian genus of the family Apiaceae, includes about 20 taxa of which only 7 are accepted at specific rank; among these, 5 are native to Europe (Tutin & al. 1968; Gomez 2003). In the Italian flora, the genus is represented by 3 taxa also occurring in Sicily (Pignatti 1982; Giardina & al. 2007); these are Smyrnium olusatrum L., S. perfoliatum L. and S. rotundifolium Mill. The last one has also been treated at the rank of subspecies under S. perfoliatum [S. perfoliatum subsp. rotundifolium (Mill.) Hartvig] (Strid 1986; Conti & al. 2005), or as a variety [S. perfoliatum var. rotundifolium (Mill.)Fiori (Fiori 1925)]. In Sicily, same populations related to S. perfoliatum differ from this taxon for both morphological and ecological characteristics, especially on the Madonie Mountains and the Mountains around Palermo. The study of the morphological characteristics – namely of the root, stem, and leaf – allowed to clearly distinguish these populations that, therefore, represented a taxonomically and perhaps even chorologically critical case, since similar plants occurring in Greece were described as S. rotundifolium var. ovatifolium Halácsy (Halácsy 1901). In Sicily the same population was finally described as a new species named Smyrnium dimartinoi (Raimondo et al., 2015) to commemorate Andrea Di Martino (1926-2009), professor of botany and director of the Botanical Garden and Herbarium Mediterraneum in the Palermo University. The occurrence of the new taxon related to S. perfoliatum – ascertained only in Central-Western Sicily and in Crete – has also been supposed in other countries of the Mediterranean Europe; this, owing to some critical specimens observed in PAL and PAL-Gr. In this contribution, the analytical key of S. perfoliatum group is presented. Furthermore, the geographical distribution of S. dimartinoi is specified after the study of selected exsiccata from other Italian and foreign herbaria. The results found in this research show that S. dimartinoi belongs to the Eurimediterranean element, spread in various countries of the Southern Europe, from Greece to Italy and Spain.

Smyrnium L. is an Eurasian genus of the family Apiaceae, including about 20 species. In the Italian flora, it is represented by 3 taxa also occurring in Sicily. These are: Smyrnium olusatrum L., S. perfoliatum L. and S. rotundifolium Mill. (1, 2). The last one has also been treated at the rank of subspecies under S. perfoliatum [S. perfoliatum subsp. rotundifolium (Mill.) Hartvig] (3, 4) or as a mere variety (5). Smyrnium olusatrum, often associated to nitrophylous habitats, unlike the other two, occurs throughout most of the Island. Smyrnium perfoliatum occurs in the underwood of deciduous Quercus sp. pl. or of Fagus sylvatica L. woods, in the submontane and montane belts of the Nebrodi mountains. Smyrnium rotundifolium is instead common in some less mesophylous environments like thermophylous open woodlands of central and western Sicily. In this sector of the island, the populations of the Madonie and of the Montains around Palermo referable to S. perfoliatum diverge for both morphological and ecological characteristics. Indeed, plants corresponding to S. perfoliatum subsp. perfoliatum occur only in the underwood of Quercus and Fagus woods in the Nebrodi mountains, under mesophylous conditions; dissimilar forms that are rather intermediate with respect to S. rotundifolium instead occur in C-W Sicily (Madonie and Mounts of Palermo). The study of the phenotypic characters, in particular of the leaf, makes possible to clearly distinguish these populations that, therefore, represent a taxonomically and perhaps even chorologically critical case, since similar plants of Greece have been described as S. rotundifolium var. ovatifolium Halàksy (6). Then, the latter taxon, today overridden, in the light of the Sicilian case should be re-evaluated.

henotipic diversity in Sicilian populations of Brassica incana Ten. (Cruciferae) is here ana- lyzed in comparison with the only one known population of B. raimondoi Sciandrello et al., taxonomic close species recently described from the coastal relief of eastern Sicily. The analysis of diagnostic characters of these two taxa does not reveal significant differences that justify a treatment at species level of the population of B. raimondoi. On this base, the authors deemed to include this taxon in the infraspecific variability of B. incana and consider most appropriate the rank of subspecies. Therefore is here proposed the establishment of the trinomial com- bination B. incana subsp. raimondoi.

Cladanthus Cass. [Syn. Ormenis (Cass.) Cass.] is a genus of the family Asteraceae, endemic to the Mediterranean region and related to the tribe Anthemideae (1). It comprises 15 species including C. scariosus (Ball) Oberpr. & Vogt [Bas. Santolina scariosa; Syn. Ormenis scariosa Litard. & Maire] from Morocco where is concentrates 1/3 of the species of the genus (2). Some of these are perennial, suffruticose and strongly aromatic plants. C. mixta (L.) Chev. is used in Morocco as chamomile and this is commonly called Moroccan chamomile. In the same country, C scariosus is fairly common in open places, on sandstone substrates (3) and is characterized by a strong aromatic character, this has motivated the authors – some of which were previously occupied by other species of the same genus (4) – to undertake such study phytochemical. In this study, the authors present the results of chemical composition of the essential oil of Cladanthus scariosus wild grown in many regions of Morocco (5). Hydrodistillation of C. scariosus aerial parts, collected on the thermo-mediterranean belt of the central High Atlas – Oukeimeden, from Marrakech to Quarzazate – during the flowering phase gave a pale yellow oil. Overall, sixty-four compounds were identified, representing 92.7% of the total components. The main class of the oil was represented by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (39.8%) with germacrene D (20.7%) as the most abundant component of the class and of the oil. Monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes were present in similar amount (14.8%-15.1%). In these classes the main products were α-pinene (4.8%) and sabinene (6.9%) among the monoterpene hydrocarbons, (E)-chrysanthenyl acetate (8.3%) among the oxygenated monoterpenes and τ –muurolol (4.2%) and (E,E)-farnesyl acetate (3.9%) among the oxygenated sesquiterpenes. It is also noteworthy the good presence of chamazulene (7.1%).

Among the species of Verbena L. cultivated in Italy Traverso (1) reports: V venosa Gilles, V tenera Sprengel (= V. pulchella Sweet.) and the horticultural hybrid V I?Jbrida Hort. (=V. hortensis Hort.). No trace of V. bonariensis L., that is reported about 60 years later as naturalized in Tuscany (2). In the Herbarium Centrale !talcum (Fl) are housed specimens collected in Piedmont and Tuscany, labelled as V. venosa - taxon considered a variety of V. bonariensis. V. bonariensis, as indicated by the specific epithet, is a South American species, herbaceous, usually perennial, also cultivated as an ornamental. Several varieties and wild lforms are known of this taxon. The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) records: V bonariensis f. albiflora Moldenke, V. bonariensis var. brevibracteata Kuntze, V. bonariensis var. conglomerata Briq., V bonariensis f. gracilis (Cham.) Voss., V. bonariensis var. hispida Moldenke, V. bonariensis var. litoralis Hook., V. bonariensis var. longibradt?ata Kuntze, V. bonariensis var. rigida (Spreng.) Kuntz, V. bonariensis f. robustior Chodat, V bonariensis f. venosa (Gillies & Hook.) V oss. This species is native of S. America (Argentina, Brasile, ]Paraguay and Uruguay) (3, 4) and introduced in the USA (5), Azores, Great Britain, Canary Islands, Portugal, Madeira (6) and in Italy, as reported above, in Tuscany, in Tombolo Pisano (PI) (2, 7, 8) and in Liguria (8). Some considerations on the tendency of naturalization of the species in Sicily (9) where accidentally misinterpreted as the report of naturalization in the region (10, 11). This record was neglected in the subsequent floras and checklists (7, 8, 12, 13). Recently we verified the spontaneous occurrence of v~ bonariensis at the edges of a channel, in the southern outskirts of the city of Palermo (Sicily). This population, referred to V. bonariensis var. hispida, is made up of about 100 vigorous and perennial individuals with tendency to expand, actually, in the same area. The taxonomic identity of the Tuscan populations is different. In this region, it is known from Tombolo Pisano (2) as well as from Florence as documented by specimens collected in the square in front of the rail station of S. Maria Novella (Raimondo et Domina, 21/06/2012, PAL), in the fenced area for works of rearrangement of the square. In comparison with the population from Tombolo Pisano, referred to the nominal type, the population from Florence looks like annual and belonging to a diffe1rent variety, also in comparison with the Sicilian one. The recent discovery in Sicily as well as increasing the 11uota of adventitious exotic vascular flora of the island, confirms the tendency of the species to spread further in. the national territory.

A spontaneous group of plants of Diospyros kaki is reported in a rural area near Menfi, in the province of Agrigento. This is the first record of naturalization of this Asian species – after long time cultivated in various countries of the Mediterranean Basin - observed in Italy.

– Ethnobotanical study of the Yareta Arequipa plant (Azorella compacta Phil) and its possible applications. – The aim of this work is the ethnobotanical characterisation of the Yareta Arequipa plant (Azorella compacta Phil), to report indications about the uses of the Yareata plant by “Salinas y Aguada Blanca” National Reserve (RNSAB) populations and to find its possible applications. The survey has been lead on nine communities of the Arequipa Region (Peru), it concerned the actual degree of conservation of the plants, the botanical description and classification, the ecological characterization, the use and the distribution in ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology and all the uses of the RNSAB populations of Arequipa. The results show all the nine communities use the Yareta plant as combustibile, as medicine and seldom as biocidal. The population use mainly the resin of the plant as medicine to repair the bones system, i.e. breaks , and muscle system, as well, i.e. bruises o rheumatisms. . RESUMEN – Se presentan los resultados de un estudio de etnobotánica de Azorella compacta Phil in Arequipa (Perú), que tiene por objeto indagar por primero la bibliografía para obtener información sobre los usos por el pueblo de la Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca (RNSAB) para realizar una documentación sobre los usos que hace la población local y posibles aplicaciones prácticas de la planta. Por otra parte, la experimentación directa sobre Azorella compacta Phil, examina el estado actual de conservación, clasificación y descripción botánica, ecología, distribución y uso de Etnomedicina y Etnofarmacología y otros posibles usos en RNSAB de Arequipa. El idagine se llevó a cabo en ciertas comunidades (9) en la región de Arequipa. La experiencia ha demostrado que todas las comunidades usan Azorella c. como combustible y como medicina y no como biocida, se utiliza principalmente la resina extraída de la planta sobretodo como una cataplasma para tratar el daño a los huesos y los músculos como moretones, huesos rotos y el reumatismo

Phytochemical investigation of the CH2Cl2 extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia alba Turra afforded one new irregular sesquiterpenoid, artemiric acid, and five known metabolites: hydroxydavanone, the coumarins isofraxidin and scopoletin, (6S*,7S*,10R*)-6,10-dimethyl-7,10-epoxyocta-11-enoic acid and artalbic acid. From the MeOH extract three flavonoids were identified: chrysoeriol, quercetin and isorhamnetin. The possible biogenetic pathways of artemiric and artalbic acids are discussed.

A new species of Pyrus L. from the Nebrodi Mountains (NE Sicily) is described, named, and illustrated. It differs from P. spinosa in the shape and diameter/length ratio of its fruits and in the width/length ratio of the leaf lamina. An analytical key to the Pyrus species growing in Sicily is provided.

“Prunus cupaniana” is a nomen nudum doubtfully given by Gussone (1842) to some Sicilian populations close to Prunus mahaleb L. from which they are distinct by both biological and ecological characters. This name was later cited by Nyman (1878) which did not provide its validation, contrary to the erroneous IPNI report “Prunus cupaniana Guss. ex Nyman -- Consp. Fl. Eur. 1: 213. 1878 [Sep 1878]“. Fiori (1926) applied the Gussone’s epithet to the infraspecific combination “Prunus mahaleb cupaniana(Guss.)”, which is invalid being based on a nomen nudum. Before Fiori, Lojacono (1891) treated the same populations under P. mahaleb var. prostrata. Recently Raimondo & Spadaro [in Fl. Medit. 19: 309 (2009)] treated the population of “Prunus cupaniana” as Prunus mahaleb subsp. cupaniana. This latter name is invalid too. In order to maintain the subspecific rank, the examined taxon is here treated as: Prunus mahaleb subsp. prostrata (Lojac.) Raimondo & Spadaro st. nov. [Bas. Prunus mahaleb var. prostrata Lojac., Fl. Sic. 1(2): 164 (1891); Prunus mahaleb subsp. cupaniana(Guss.) Raimondo & Spadaro, nom. inval.] This subspecies differs from P. mahaleb subsp. mahaleb by its characteristic prostrate or ascending many-stemmed bushy habit; leaves cordate, coriaceous; corymb poor with small flowers; fruits small, ovoid, slightly flattened, black when ripened. It is also ecologically distinct.

– Checklist of the vascular flora of Sicily. – On the basis of updated literature data the authors have prepared a checklist of the vascular flora of Sicily. This list subdivided in Pteridophyta, Pinophyta and Magnoliophyta, is arranged in alphabetical order. It includes 3252 specific and infraspecific taxa both native and naturalized. This list reports biologic forms and subforms and the chorotypes. Three name validations and two new combinations are also given. This list is available in electronic format at (http://www.herbmedit.org).

Flora,IUCN

The manna ashes are related to wild species of the genus Fraxinus, namely F. ornus (true manna ash) and F. angustifolia (narrow leaved ash). About two centuries ago, several varieties of such species, selected in ancient times, were widely cultivated for extracting the manna drug. This represented a remarkable economic resource for the region. Manna was extracted mainly for pharmacological industry, but today it has became a herbal product. Irrespective of the processes that reduced this cultivation to the lowest extent, the manna ash landscape is a remarkable peculiarity in the frame of the Mediterranean agrosystems. It is still kept alive as a relict cultivation within a very restricted area on the northern slope of the Madonie Mountains, in the countryside of Castelbuono and Pollina, at the eastern border of the Palermo province (Northern Central Sicily) (Raimondo et al. 1995). Taking into account that most of the ash crops are presently abandoned or under agricultural replacement, the need of conserving such unique landscape is pointed out here (Raimondo 1980).