Least adder\u27s-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum L.) in Croatia - distribution, ecology and conservation

The presence of the least adder\u27s tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum) in Croatia is sparsely documented in scientific literature, with only a few records to date. After findings from the 19th century, the species was not confirmed in the field for a whole century, and was consequently considered extinct in the Croatian flora. It has been recently confirmed in southern Istria (Croatia), in habitats with moderate anthropogenic impacts

Floristic and Functional comparision of karst pastures and karst meadows from the North Adriatic Karst

In the present study, we compared the species richness and the floristic and functional composition of two types of extensively managed, species rich dry grasslands (class Festuco-Brometea) from the North Adriatic Karst: karst pastures (alliance Satureion subspicatae) and karst meadows (alliance Scorzonerion villose). Karst pastures are characterized by shallow rocky soils, high pH, and dry, warm conditions, whereas karst meadows have developed on deeper soil, with more humus and moisture and neutral to alkaline pH. The data set included a table with 100 phytosociological relevés of the studied grasslands and a matrix with 15 functional traits determined for 180 plant species. we found high species richness in these grasslands but no statistically significant differences in species richness between karst pastures and meadows. Differences in floristic composition were analysed with Detrended Correspondence Analysis, which supported a clear division between the two vegetation types and indicated that species composition could best be explained in terms of soil humidity and nutrient availability. We also detected several differences in plant functional traits between meadows and pastures. Some of the traits indicate greater resource availability on karst meadows (in particular, high SLA, low LDMC). In contrast, karst pastures have more slow-growing species with a combination of traits that can be interpreted as an avoidance strategy in relation to disturbance (e.g., grazing) in low productive habitats (e.g., low SLA, high LDMC, early flowering species and plants with rosette). A lower relative proportion of competitors (C) and ruderals (R), and a higher relative proportion of stress-tolerators (S) in karst pastures also suggested that these grasslands generally experience higher intensities of stress when compared to karst meadows, presumably owing to lower resource availability on stony, shallow soil. we could conclude that karst meadows and pastures differ significantly in both floristic composition and functional trait means, owing to their distinctive land-use (disturbance) and environmental conditions

Micropropagation of the narrow endemic Hladnikia pastinacifolia (Apiaceae)

The monotypic Hladnikia pastinacifolia Rchb. is a narrow endemic species, with an extremely small distribution area in Slovenia, prone to any kind of threat that could lead to species extinction. Tissue culture techniques are proposed as a conservation measure for rapid propagation and ex-situ conservation. Tissue culture was initiated from seeds and juvenile plants obtained from natural sites on a solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, with and without growth regulators. We tested various combinations and concentrations of growth regulators, and the best proliferation of axillary shoots, on average 14, was obtained on MS medium with 5 μM BAP and 3 μM IBA and 3% sucrose. Rooting was achieved after transferral of the shoots to an MS medium with 2 μM IBA and 3% sucrose. The rooted plants were acclimatized on a mixture of limestone sand, potting soil and vermiculite in a ratio of 10:2:2, with pH in the range of 7.5–8.0. In vitro propagation methods provide an important opportunity for the propagation and preservation of H. pastinacifolia by rapidly increasing the number of plants, without disturbing the wild population

Germination characteristics of Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve, S. emerici Duval-Jouve, and S. veneta Pign. et Lausi and their occurrence in Croatia

According to recent molecular analyses of Salicornia, we revised the annual glassworts from the Croatian coast, classified until now only as Salicornia europaea. Two species, a diploid Salicornia patula and a tetraploid S. emerici were recognized. They can be easily distinguished by floral characters, but not only by their habitus, which varies extremely according to environmental factors. Both species differ also in seed morphology. Salicornia patula has dimorphic seeds, with larger central seeds reaching high germination rates. Germination patterns helped to explain the habitat preferences. The species rarely co-occur, however. The rare S. patula occupies drier habitats, on coastal mudflats or sands that are irregularly inundated. It occurs within the assoc. Suaedo maritimae-Salicornietum patulae. Salicornia emerici occupies the lowest coastal mudflats, regularly inundated, where nutrient-rich conditions prevail, and forms an almost monotypical assoc. Salicornietum emerici. Due to the synonymy of S. veneta with S. emerici, we exclude the occurrence of S. veneta in Croatia as an independent taxon

Travišča s prevladujočim rumenkastim ovsencem (Trisetum flavescens) v submontanskih in montanskih predelih Slovenije

In the present study, we investigated plant communities with Yellow Oat Grass (Trisetum flavescens (L.) Pb.) in the submontane and montane regions of Slovenia. In 2005-2007 ninety-one relevés were collected by using the standard procedure of the Braun-Blanquet approach. Relevés were analysed with multivariate analysis and classified within two associations: Astrantio-Trisetetum (Polygono-Trisetion) and the Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum (Arrhenatherion). Management practices, soil conditions and altitude were found to be significant factors for a further subdivision of both associations. Within the Astrantio-Trisetetum association three subassociations could be distinguished: -typicum, -buphthalmetosum and -trollietosum, and subassociations -typicum, -medicagetosum lupulinae, as well as -lolietosum subass. nova in the Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum. The floristic composition and ecological characteristics of these plant communities are described and their implications for grassland conservation in Slovenia are discussed.V članku predstavljamo rezultate raziskave vegetacije travišč s prevladujočim rumenkastim ovsencem (Trisetum flavescens) v submontanskih in montanskih predelih Slovenije. V letih 2005–2007 smo popisali 91 vegetacijskih sestojev po standardni Braun-Blanquetovi metodi. Na osnovi multivariatnih analiz smo uvrstili travišča v dve asociaciji, in sicer v asociacijo Astrantio-Trisetetum (zveza Polygono-Trisetion) in asociacijo Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum (zveza Arrhenatherion). Nadaljnja členitev na nižje sintaksonomske enote obeh asociacij je pogojena predvsem s stopnjo intenzivnosti upravljanja s travišči, z različnimi edafskimi razmerami in nadmorsko višino. Tako ločimo v asociaciji Astrantio-Trisetetum naslednje sintaksone: subasociacije -typicum, -buphthalmetosum in -trollietosum, v asociaciji Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum pa: -typicum, -medicagetosum lupulinae in -lolietosum subass. nova. Predstavljene so floristična sestava asociacij, njune ekološke značilnosti in varstveni vidiki obravnavanih travišč

Least adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum L.) in Croatia – distribution, ecology and conservation

The presence of the least adder’s tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum) in Croatia is sparsely documented in scientific literature, with only a few records to date. After findings from the 19th century, the species was not confirmed in the field for a whole century, and was consequently considered extinct in the Croatian flora. It has been recently confirmed in southern Istria (Croatia), in habitats with moderate anthropogenic impacts

New insights into the anatomy of an endemic Hladnikia pastinacifolia Rchb.

We studied the anatomy of a rare narrow endemic species belonging to the Slovenian flora – Hladnikia pastinacifolia Rchb. Hladnikia is a monotypic genus with distinct taxonomic position within the Apiaceae family. The anatomical characteristics revealed by light and fluorescence microscopy provided new insights regarding the pollen, leaf and root characteristics of H. pastinacifolia, improving the understanding of its biology and ecology. Pollination, drought tolerance, life cycle and unattractiveness to herbivores explain the species’ persistence in time. Autofluorescence localized bioactive substances within secretory ducts and oil ducts