The Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris (Mill.) Lehr. forests in the Mediterranean area

This paper examines the forest communities dominated by Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris (Mill.) Lehr. that have been described up until now in the Mediterranean Region (including other isolated extrazonal areas in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula and in Northern Turkey) as more or less evolved aspects of woods, microwoods and high maquis that principally tend to make up climacic and edapho-climacic “series heads”. These forma- tions maintain a significant large-scale distributive potential within the infra- and thermomediterranean bioclimate belts (with a few penetrations into the mesomediterranean) with a dry-subhumid (and sometimes humid) ombrotype; however, they are currently quite rare and fragmented in the wake of large-scale deforestation and the impoverishment of old-growth communities dominated by a species known to live for millennia. The study was conducted through the analysis of phytosociological data taken from the scientific literature and other unpublished data regarding North-Africa (Morocco, Algeria), the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands as well as other islands from the Tyrrhenian area (Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily and its minor islands), the Italian Peninsula, the Balkan Peninsula, the Aegean region, Turkey and the southern Anatolian coast. A comparison between the different communities has shown a high floristic and physiognomic-structural homogeneity that justifies their categorization in the Quercetea ilicis class. The biogeographic and ecologic vicariance shown by the same formations within the large Mediterranean distribution range makes it pos- sible to subdivide them into the following orders and alliances: 1) Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni [A) all. Tetraclini articulatae-Pistacion atlanticae (suball. Pistacienion atlanticae); B) all. Asparago albi-Rhamnion oleoidis; C) all. Oleo sylvestris-Ceratonion siliquae]; 2) Quercetalia calliprini [D) all. Ceratonio-Pistacion lentisci]; 3) Quercetalia ilicis [E) all. Querco rotundifoliae-Oleion sylvestris; F) all. Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis; G) all. Erico arboreae-Quercion ilicis; H) all. Arbuto unedonis-Laurion nobilis (suball. Arbuto-Laurenion nobilis)]. Regarding the syntaxonomical aspect: (i) two new associations are described [Hippocrepido emeroidis-Oleetum sylvestris and Junipero foetidissimae-Oleetum sylvestris]; (ii) two new associations [Phillyreo latifoliae-Oleetum sylvestris Barbero, Quézel & Rivas-Martínez ex Gianguzzi & Bazan ass. nova and Calicotomo intermediae-Oleetum sylvestris Quézel, Barbero, Benabid, Loisel & Rivas-Martínez 1988 ex Gianguzzi & Bazan ass. nova] and a new subassocia- tion [Aro neglecti-Oleetum sylvestris Rivas-Martínez & Cantò 2002 corr. Rivas-Martínez & Cantò fraxinetosum angustifoliae Pérez Latorre, Galán de Mera, Deil & Cabezudo ex Gianguzzi & Bazan subass. nova] are leptotypified; (iii) a nomen novum of the association is redefined [Rhamno laderoi-Oleastretum sylvestris (Cantò, Ladero, Perez-Chiscano & Rivas-Martínez 2011) Gianguzzi & Bazan nom. nov.]

First record of Ribes uva-crispa L. (Grossulariaceae) from the Madonie Mts., a new species of the Sicilian flora.

In this study, a first record of Ribes uva-crispa L. (Grossulariaceae) – a new species of the Sicilian flora – from the Madonie Mts. is reported. The autochthonous and relict new population of Ribes uva-crispa L. (Grossulariaceae) is found on Mount Carbonara (Madonie Mts., North-Central Sicily), which is several hundred kilometers away from the Central Apenninic and the South Mediterranean locations of its distribution range. R. uva-crispa shows a distribution similar to other taxa extending from the Euro-Asiatic area to the mountains of North Africa with disjunct populations on the main Sicilian reliefs (Madonie and Nebrodi Mts.), testifying ancient phytogeographical connections. This noteworthy record adds a new species – as well as a new genus and new family – to the vascular flora of Sicily. Based on the morphological characters, the population found is to be referred to Ribes uva-crispa L. subsp. austro-europaeum (Bornm.) Bech var. glanduligerum (Lindberg) Maire

Contribution to the phytosociological characterization of the forest vegetation of the Sicani Mountains (inland of north-western Sicily).

The results of a phytosociological survey on the main forest vegetation aspects of the Sicani Mountains (inland of north-western Sicily), in turn included in the homonymous Regional Park recently established, are presented. This expansive territory (43,687 hectares), located between the Agrigento and Palermo provinces, is mainly composed by carbonate and silico-carbonate formations of the Sicani Units, whose highest peaks are represented by Mount Cammarata (1578 m a.s.l.), Mount delle Rose (1436 m), Pizzo Cangialoso (1420 m) and Mount Pernice (1393 m). Under the bioclimatic aspect, the area falls within the thermo- and supramediterranean belts, with ombrotype ranging from upper dry (annual average rainfall of about 550 mm) in the southern and western slopes, to upper subhumid (annual average rainfall of 800-1000 mm) – sometimes tending towards the wet – in the cacuminal part of the aforecited elevations. Many plant communities were identified and surveyed, several of which are described as new syntaxa; in particular they are some maquis associations [1) Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis Géhu & Biondi 1997, with the subassociations typicum, phlomidetosum fruticosae (Brullo & Marcenò 1985) comb. nov., rhamnetosum oleoidis (Brullo & Marcenò 1985) comb. nov., celtidetosum aetnensis (Brullo & Marcenò 1985) comb. nov., euphorbietosum bivonae (Gianguzzi, Ilardi & Raimondo 1996) comb. nov.; 2) Ampelodesmo mauritanici-Juniperetum turbinatae Gianguzzi et al. 2012, with the subass. cistetosum cretici Gianguzzi et al. 2012; 3) Asparago albi-Artemisietum arborescentis ass. nova; 4) Euphorbio characiae-Anagyridetum phoetidis ass. nova, with the subass. asparagetosum albae subass.nova and loniceretosum implexae subass. nova; 5) Pistacio terebinthi-Celtidetum aetnensis Gianguzzi, Cusimano & Romano 2014, subass. typicum and phlomidetosum fruticosae Gianguzzi, Cusimano & Romano 2014)], a laurel oak community [Acantho mollis-Lauretum nobilis Gianguzzi, D’Amico & Romano 2010], some holm oak communities [7) Ampelodesmo mauritanici-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova hoc loco, with the subass.typicum subass. nova and viburnetosum tini subass. nova); 8) Sorbo torminalis-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova], some deciduous oak communities with Quercus virgiliana [9) Oleo oleaster-Quercetum virgilianae Brullo 1984; 10) Sorbo torminalis-Quercetum virgilianae Brullo, Minissale, Signorello & Spampinato 1996], a maple community with Acer pseudoplatanus [11) Sorbo graecae-Aceretum pseudoplatani Gianguzzi & La Mantia 2004], a riparian community with Salix sp. pl. [12) Salicetum albo-pedicellatae Brullo & Spampinato 1990] and some shrubby mantles [13) Hyperico majoris-Rubetum ulmifolii ass. nova; 14) Roso corymbiferae-Rubetum ulmifolii ass. nova; 15) Euphorbio characiae-Prunetum spinosae ass. nova; 16) Roso siculae-Prunetum spinosae ass. nova; 17) Crataegetum laciniatae Brullo & Marcenò in Brullo 1984]. A new alliance with a Tyrrhenian centre of gravitation (Asparago acutifolii-Laurion nobilis, in turn ascribed to the class Quercetea ilicis and to the order Quercetalia ilicis), within which the Laurus nobilis microwoods gravitating in the Italo-Tyrrhenian biogeographical Province are framed, is also proposed

Plant diversity in old-growth woods: the case of the forest edges of the Favorita Park in Palermo (north-western Sicily, Italy)

This article presents the results of a study on plant diversity at different levels in residual forest stands, located in the historical Favorita Park in Palermo, Italy (established and named in 1799 by King Ferdinand IV of the House of Bourbon). These forest aspects have naturally evolved for over two centuries, under minimal conditions of anthropogenic disturbance (e.g. deforestation, fires, grazing activities, etc.). This is especially true in the area known as “Bosco Niscemi”, spread over about 8.5 hectares, in the centre of the park. Bosco Niscemi is characterized by the widespread presence of old trees, abundant necromass and litter. In this study, four different soil profiles were analysed, and classified as follows: (i) Solimovic Regosol (Arenic); ii) Eutric Arenosol (Chromic); (iii) and (iv) Skeletic Regosol (Ochric). From a phytosociological point of view, four forest communities have been identified, two of which are described as new associations (Viburno tini-Phillyreetum latifoliae ass. nova and Teucrio flavi-Phillyreetum latifoliae ass. nova). The species richness was also found to be noteworthy, with the co-occurrence of several taxa (phanerogams and cryptogams) that are of biogeographic interest or rare in Sicily, including: i) vascular flora (e.g. Viburnum tinus and Arbutus unedo, both very rare throughout the western sector of Sicily); ii) bryophytes [Cryphaea heteromalla (new record of a very rare species in Sicily) as well as Hypnum cupressiforme and Leptodon smithii, also never previously found at such low altitudes]; iii) lichens (e.g. Bacidia rosella, Gyalecta derivata, Ramalina roesleri and Waynea stoechadiana); iv) mushrooms (e.g. Eichleriella leucophaea, only known location in Italy). Based on the scientific documentation produced in this study, these woods can be reported as “old-growth forests” to be included in the “National Network” that has been recently established in Italy (Ministerial Decree of 23 June 2023). This area might serve as an ideal control for urban environmental studies, given its pristine ecological setting