Genetic diversity in Sicilian populations of Quercus ilex (Fagaceae)

Recent studies on the genetic structure of the Italian populations of Quercus ilex demonstrated their high diversity, particularly in the Sicilian metapopulation. In order to check if the holm oak stands in the mountains of NW Sicily could have some relationship with Q. ilex subsp. bal- lota (distributed in Spain and NW Africa), 26 specimens from the Sicilian most distinctive Q. ilex populations have been compared with some representative populations of the Italian Peninsula, North Africa and Spain, by means of the ISSR technique. Even if the results are too preliminary to confirm or reject the initial hypothesis, they confirmed an high level of genetic variability, well distributed among the analyzed specimens. In particular, the metapopulations from the Sicilian mountains (Quacella, Vallone Canna) revealed some genetic affinity with those of the Moroccan mountains (Marrakech/Oukaimeden and Ifrane). These populations, on their turn, resulted to be quite distant from the sample from SE-Spain (Sierra de Javalambre). Moreover, a certain genetic distance has been detected from the comparison of the mountain populations of Sicily with those of coastal sites of this Island (Scopello, Castellammare) and Capri (Villa Jovis)

Genista madoniensis internal transcribed spacer 1 and 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence

Genista madoniensis internal transcribed spacer 1 and 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequenc

Le malformazioni delle piante nell’iconografia: percorso storico-documentario

Plant malformations in iconography: historical-documentary journey -.The present contribution traces the progress of the iconography of plant anatomical anomalies. The cases illustrated in the most important works from the second half of the 17th to the 19th century are here reported