Principi di spontaneizzazione di Diospyros kaki (Ebenaceae) in Sicilia

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

A new species of Smyrnium (Apiaceae) related to S. perfoliatum

On the basis of plant collections recently carried out in Sicily as well as the study of the herbarium material kept in PAL and PAL-Gr, a new species of Smyrnium (Apiaceae) is described here. This new taxon, named Smyrnium dimartinoi, is related to S. perfoliatum and is presently known from Sicily, Crete and realistically elsewhere in the Mediterranean. In such range it occurs in open woods and clearings of the Mediterranean-temperate and submontane belt

Genetic variation patterns in some groups of Centaurea (Asteraceae) in Italy

In the current work the data of the isozyme analysis of all the twenty studied Italian Centaurea taxa were compared. They belong to Centaurea parlatoris, C. cineraria, C. tenorei and C. jacea groups. The following parameters of the genetic variability were considered: the total number of the alleles, the mean number of alleles per locus (A), the mean percentage of polymorphic loci (P95), the expected heterozygosity (He) that is a measure of the intra-population diversity, the Wright’s fixation index (F) and inbreeding coefficient (FIS) that are measures for the deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The present study contributes to insight some aspects of the genetic diversity related to the distribution range (endemics or widespread taxa) of the studied Centaurea species. The mean proportion of polymorphic loci and the mean number of alleles per locus (A) in the endemic species are comparable with the widespread ones, while the intra-population diversity (He) results about 40% higher in the populations of the widespread taxa than the endemics. The loci with a major role for the processes of differentiation and evolution of the genus Centaurea in South Italy and Sicily are: Mdh-1, Pgi-2 and Idh-1. Italian Centaurea species with the highest genetic diversity usually inhabit extreme habitats (rocky, sandy places, etc.) and localities with significant human impact or the borderline of their area of distribution. Sicily could be considered a centre of differentiation of the endemic groups of C. cineraria and C. parlatoris which show relatively high intra-population variability

Vascular flora evolution in the Soqotra Archipelago (Indian Ocean)

The main floristic and vegetational features of the Soqotra Archipelago are outlined. The theories of vicariance and dispersal are commented with the support of examples suggesting the idea that both are complementary in the establishment and evolution of the flora of Soqotra. Finally the relation of alien vs natural elements of the flora is analyzed

A new species of Anthemis sect. Hiorthia (Asteraceae) from SE Sicily

A new species of Anthemis sect. Hiorthia (Asteraceae) is described from Sicily. This taxon, named A. pignattiorum, is confined to a restricted area of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily), in the Natural Reserve of Cava Grande (Cassibile, Siracuse), where it takes shelter on carbonate rocky habitat and participates, with other Sicilian endemic taxa, to the composition of a termophilous chasmophytic community (Putorio calabricae–Micromerietum microphyllae)