Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 8

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Ajuga, Chamaemelum, Clematis, Convolvulus, Cytisus, Deschampsia, Eleocharis, Epipactis, Euphorbia, Groenlandia, Hedera, Hieracium, Hydrocharis, Jacobaea, Juncus, Klasea, Lagurus, Leersia, Linum, Nerium, Onopordum, Persicaria, Phlomis, Polypogon, Potamogeton, Securigera, Sedum, Soleirolia, Stachys, Umbilicus, Valerianella, and Vinca. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1

Conservazione della diversit\ue0 vegetale in Liguria. Attivit\ue0 ed iniziative in Liguria.

Presentazione di attivit\ue0 ed iniziative di conservazione vegetale in Ligurua finanziate dalla Regione e dalla Comunit\ue0 Europea

New seed morphological features in Moehringia L. (Caryophyllaceae) and their taxonomic and ecological significance

Seeds of 27 species of Moehringia and four related representatives of Arenaria (old M. sect. Pseudomoehringia) were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Novel morphological features were observed in addition to those found in a previous similar study. The new information thus obtained provided new insight into the taxonomic value of discrete morphological characters considered in a recent phylogenetic context. Main Moehringia sections are undoubtedly defined by different types of strophioles, and by the corresponding testa cell features. This study also shows the different ontogenesis of hilar appendages previously attributed to Iberian taxa, now belonging to Arenaria. In addition to phylogenetic differences, ecology seems to play a role in the differentiation of seed morphological features with clear convergences among plants living on cliffs

Ecological characteristics and rarity of endemic plants of the Italian Maritime Alps.

This overview of endemic plants of the Italian Maritime Alps (107 taxa representing 3.44% of the flora) is the completion of an earlier study carried out on the French side of the same alpine sector. Similar ecological preferences and plant life strategies were detected in both countries, with a particular ability on the part of endemics to colonize habitats with low competition and disturbance characteristics. The comparison with other areas of the Mediterranean basin appears to show that: (1) the Maritime Alps as a whole actually constitute a hot spot owing to the high total number of vascular plants; (2) the number of endemic plants is quite high, even without considering rare plants. Although numerous endemics are protected by law and part of the territory and biotopes are nominally under habitat conservation measures, new practical measures should be enforced as quickly as possible. Because of the high ecological specialization and the lack of competitiveness of endemics, in situ conservation appears to be adequate. In depth, cooperative and joint conservation strategies should be planned and implemented by both Italy and France and particular stress should be placed on achieving broader, more effective results

Senecio grisebachii Baker (Compositae), new to the Italian flora.

Una nuova specie esotica, Senecio grisebachii Baker, originaria del Sudamerica \ue8 stata ritrovata nella Liguria occidentale fra Ventimiglia e Pietra Ligure. La sua introduzione risale probabilmente a 25 anni fa. La specie \ue8 presentesu un territorio piuttosto vasto, mostra notevoli capacit\ue0 riproduttive e di espansione e si pu\uf2 ritenere specie naturalizzata

Dispersal mechanisms in some reprentatives of the genus Moehringia L. (Caryophyllaceae)

The function of diaspores in Moehringia genus was investigated and field observations pointed out the elaiosome role in seed predation and dispersal by ants. Histochemical stainings underlined the presence of lipid in the strophiole. Our results are congruent with the hypothesis that some representatives of the genus Moehringia adopt myrmecochory, especially those species that prefer rocky habitats. Strophiole dimensions and oil content volume seem to influence seed predation in plants by ants. However, the interaction of further abiotic dispersal agents (wind, water) may increase and make more efficient the dissemination strategie

Polyploid evolution and Pleistocene glacial cycles: a case study from the alpine primrose Primula marginata (Primulaceae)

Background Recent studies highlighted the role of Pleistocene climatic cycles in polyploid speciation and of southern Alpine refugia as reservoirs of diversity during glacial maxima. The polyploid Primula marginata, endemic to the southwestern Alps, includes both hexaploid and dodecaploid cytotypes that show no ecological or morphological differences. We used flow cytometry to determine variation and geographic distribution of cytotypes within and between populations and analyses of chloroplast (cp) and nuclear ribosomal (nr) DNA sequences from the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region to infer the evolutionary history of the two cytotypes and the auto- vs. allopolyploid origin of dodecaploid populations. Results We did not detect any intermediate cytotypes or variation of ploidy levels within populations. Hexaploids occur in the western and dodecaploids in the eastern part of the distributional range, respectively. The cpDNA and nrDNA topologies are in conflict, for the former supports shared ancestry between P. marginata and P. latifolia, while the latter implies common origins between at least some ITS clones of P. marginata and P. allionii. Conclusions Our results suggest an initial episode of chloroplast capture involving ancestral lineages of P. latifolia and P. marginata, followed by polyploidization between P. marginata-like and P. allionii-like lineages in a southern refugium of the Maritime Alps. The higher proportion of ITS polymorphisms in dodecaploid than in hexaploid accessions of P. marginata and higher total nucleotide diversity of ITS clones in dodecaploid vs. hexaploid individuals sequences are congruent with the allopolyploid hypothesis of dodecaploid origin

Knowing the past to forecast the future: a case study on a relictual, endemic species of the SW Alps, Berardia subacaulis

Future climate change may lead to a substantial loss of biodiversity, particularly affecting mountain regions, including the Alps. Range-size reduction in high mountain plant species is predicted to be more pronounced for endemic species. Investigating the broad temporal spectrum of range shifts is important for the conservation of biodiversity, since learning how species responded to climate change in the past provides useful insights on how they might react to warming trends in the present and future. Using species distribution models and an ensemble forecasting approach, we explored how the distribution of Berardia subacaulis, a monospecific genus endemic of the south-west Alps, may be affected by past and future projected climate change. During the last interglacial, the habitat suitability of Berardia was lower than present and a progressive increase was observed from the last glacial maximum until now. In the future, Berardia appears to lose more than 80 % of its range, becoming endangered by 2050. Our results suggest that Berardia probably survived past warmer periods in situ, expanding its distributional range during cooler periods. The severe future range contraction predicted for Berardia reflects similar results for other endemic species. As Berardia represents an interesting model species to evaluate the effects of climate warming on range size and shifts, demographic and precise range monitoring may be undertaken on this species