First record of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides (Apiaceae) in Italy

The occurrence of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides, a species distributed in the Balkan Peninsula, Greece, southern Caucasus, Turkey and southern Russia, is reported here for the first time in Italy. It was discovered in Calabria (southern Italy) in the Argentino River Valley and along the Abatemarco River (municipality of Cosenza), localities partly included within the Pollino National Park. Information about taxonomy, nomenclature, habitat, phytosociology and distribution of this species in Italy are provided

An updated checklist of the vascular flora of Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (Marche, Italy)

This study aims to increase floristic knowledge of Marche by means of a survey in the Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (central Italy). The Reserve, located in the central Apennines, covers about 3.2 km2 at altitudes ranging from 820 to 1,491 m a.s.l. It has been owned and managed as a strict reserve by the University of Camerino since 1970: all the anthropic activities ceased about 50 years ago, except for a minimal area where mowing and cattle grazing are still allowed. The floristic list consists of 789 specific and subspecific taxa belonging to 81 families and 352 genera. Two species are new for Italy (Taraxacum calocarpum and T. pulchrifolium) and 14 for Marche regional flora. Compared to previous floristic studies, we found 127 more taxa but we showed a certain stability in the life-form spectrum, suggesting limited effects of dynamic processes related to climate and land-use changes. The negligible number of alien species (11) is probably related to the limitations to anthropic activities in the Reserve. The occurrence of taxa never recorded for Italy and Marche highlights the floristic value of the Reserve for species conservation in the central Apennines

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora 6

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Acalypha, Acer, Canna, Cardamine, Cedrus, Chlorophytum, Citrus, Cyperus, Epilobium, Eucalyptus, Euphorbia, Gamochaeta, Hesperocyparis, Heteranthera, Lemna, Ligustrum, Lycium, Nassella, Nothoscordum, Oenothera, Osteospermum, Paspalum, Pontederia, Romulea, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Sesbania, Setaria, Sicyos, Styphnolobium, Symphyotrichum, and Tradescantia. Nomenclature and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material

Fitocenološka analiza čistih in mešanih bukovih gozdov v Nacionalnem parku Monti Sibillini (srednji Apenini, Italija)

The results of a phytosociological survey of the woods mainly growing on limestones in the Southern part of the Marches Region (Central Italy), that is part of the Monti Sibillini National Park, are here presented. This area is characterized by a temperate climate (upper mesotemperate and lower/upper supratemperate bioclimatic belts). In order to study the vegetation, 173 phytosociological relevés were carried out through the Braun-Blanquet methodology. All the data obtained were submitted to multivariate analysis. The phytosociological analysis is characterized in nine associations, whereof three are of new description (Lathyro veneti-Fagetum sylvaticae hieracietosum murorum, Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae corallorhizetosum trifidae and Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae anemonetosum nemorosae).Prikazani so rezultati fitocenološke raziskave gozdov, ki uspevajo predvsem na apnencu v južnem delu pokrajine Marche (srednja Italija), to je v delu Nacionalnega parka Monti Sibillini. To območje označuje zmerna klima (zgornji mezotemperatni in spodnji/zgornji supratemperatni bioklimatki pas). Vegetacijo smo proučili s 173 fitocenološkimi popisi po Braun-Blanquetovi metodi. Vse popisno gradivosmo analizirali z multivariatno statistiko. S fitocenološko analizo smo dobili devet asociacij, od tega so tri novoopisane (Lathyro veneti- Fagetum sylvaticae hieracietosum murorum, Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae corallorhizetosum trifidae and Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae anemonetosum nemorosae)

New records for the Laga Mountains (Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio) and the central Apennines

This study includes 47 species collected between 1980 and 2012, most of them not previously reported for the Laga Mountains. These include a number of species that are rare or are of particular phytogeographical interest, with their presence hereby confirmed. In particular, the survey includes one new species for the central Apennines (Aconitum variegatum subsp. variegatum), seven for Marche (Alchemilla exigua, Alchemilla marsica, Alchemilla sinuata, Alchemilla undulata, Alchemilla versipila, Equisetum variegatum, Juncus articus), two for Abruzzo (Aconitum variegatum subsp. variegatum, Alchemilla incisa), and one for Lazio (Veronica alpina). The presence in the central Apennines of Oxytropis pilosa subsp. pilosa is also confirmed; although it has already been reported in several studies, it has been neglected in recent floras. In agreement with previous scientific contributions, the present study confirms the considerable biogeographical interest of the area due to the presence of species with an Arctic-Alpine distribution and/or of European orophytes, as well as species that are endemic to the mountain range of the Laga Mountains, which represents the southern limit of their distribution along the whole Apennine range

Floristic–Vegetational Features of Geranium argenteum, an Alpine–Apennine Species at Its Limit of Distribution in the Apennines

We present a floristic–vegetational study on a plant community dominated by Geranium argenteum in the Sibillini Mountains (Central Apennines), at the southern limit of its distribution in the Apennines. It is a rare pioneer community located at an elevation of about 2100 m a.s.l. with northern exposure on the fractured rocky ridges and at the edges of the rocky detrital valleys on lithosol, with a prolonged presence of snowpack and gelifraction processes. The results of the phytosociological analysis allow us to propose the new Festuco italicae-Geranietum argentei association referred to as the Leontopodio nivalis-Elynion myosuroidis alliance (Carici rupestris-Kobresietea bellardii class). The comparison with the Alpine and the Northern Apennines phytocoenoses characterized by Geranium argenteum allows us to provide a new interpretation of the syntaxonomical framework concerning the Geranium argenteum communities within its Alpine–Apennine range in light of the new data presented in this paper. The new Festuco italicae-Geranietum argentei association represents a further contribution to the knowledge of the relict alpine vegetation of the Leontopodio nivalis-Elynion myosuroidis alliance in the Sibillini Mountains and thus in the Central Apennines. Finally, habitat monitoring will be essential for assessing the impacts of climate change on this fragile and narrowly restricted plant community

Influences of mature Pinus nigra plantations on the floristic- vegetational composition along an altitudinal gradient in the central Apennines, Italy

Plantations of conifers are widespread in Europe, often occurring outside of their native range. Reduction in species richness linked to increases in altitude has been previously reported for natural forests, although there is a lack of specific studies for mature pine plantations in both the Apennines and Europe. The aim of this study was to quantify the long-term effects of the extensive Pinus nigra plantations carried out between 1900 and 1956 in protected areas on floristic richness, species composition, and ecological traits of the under- storey vegetation. We compared 20 mature pine plantations selected along an altitudinal gradient (700-1700 m a.s.l.) with neighbouring deciduous natural forests dominated by Ostrya carpinifolia and Fagus sylvatica, which repre- sent the most widespread forest types in the central Apennines. The results showed that floristic richness follows two distinct altitude trends in pine plan- tations and natural forests. A strong reduction in species richness with eleva- tion was observed in the natural forests, as well as a consequent increase in the local contribution to beta diversity, with a turnover of the ecological traits of the species. Contrastingly, no significant changes in richness and beta diver- sity were found for pine plantations in the same altitude range. Indeed, ma- ture pine plantations up to 1400-1500 m a.s.l. showed the presence of many heliophilous and thermophilous species that are usually distributed at lower elevation. We discuss how such pine plantations can mitigate the effect of in- creasing altitude which is usually observed in the natural forests, slowing down the typical diversification of the forest communities along the altitudinal gradient

Le collezioni botaniche

Le prime notizie sulla presenza di erbari a Camerino risalgono al 1600 circa. Il riferimento più antico è quello relativo ad un erbario datato fine XVI - inizio XVII secolo, già descritto da Alberico Benedicenti, farmacologo italiano di grande fama e docente nelle Università di Cagliari, Camerino, Messina e Genova. Un’altra testimonianza è rappresentata da un libro-erbario anonimo attribuibile alla seconda metà del ‘700 e contenente 155 piante. Si tratta di un libro rilegato a mano, in discreto stato di conservazione, rivestito da una copertina rigida di carta pecora, con scritto, sulla costola, “Erbario naturale”. Le piante sono fissate con listarelle di carta e colla di farina. Sui fogli di carta lavorata a mano del tipo “velino vergato”, prodotta dalle cartiere di Fabriano, con impresso, nel mezzo, uno stemma filigranato non è indicata la località di raccolta perché, probabilmente, fungeva da “guida” per la determinazione; tra le piante presenti Polium montanum (Teucrium polium), Gallium luteum (Galium verum), Digitalis minor (Digitalis micrantha)