Up-to-date report on the distribution ofHelianthemum lippii(Cistaceae) in Italy

2015

An up-to-date report on the distribution of Helianthemum lippii in Italy is provided also on the basis of the findings by Lojacono-Pojero in 1889 who reported the existence of a relic population in Sicily (southern Italy), which is now thought to be extinct because of human disturbance. Field excursions permitted to confirm the locus classicus reported by Lojacono-Pojero as the other Sicilian localities that have been reported more recently. Based on a careful analysis of the literature the presence of H. lippii is currently excluded in Calabria and Apulia. The main causes that threaten the habitat of H. lippii in Sicily are pointed out according to IUCN Threats Classification Scheme.

Facebook groups as citizen science tools for plant species monitoring

2021

I social network sono canali di comunicazione utilizzati per condividere enormi quantità di dati, che possono essere utilizzati per la ricerca scientifica, anche nel campo della biodiversità. Per sapere quanto i dati ricavati dai social network possono integrare quelli raccolti per scopi scientifici, è necessario individuarne i bias. Utilizzando i dati estratti da un gruppo Facebook specializzato nella flora vascolare siciliana, abbiamo analizzato quali sono i caratteri che aumentano la probabilità che una pianta spontanea venga fotografata e postata su un social network. A tal fine, abbiamo confrontato frequenze e attributi delle specie fotografate dai membri del gruppo Facebook con quelli…

INVESTIGATION ON OLD-GROWTH FORESTS OF SICILY: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

2014

Old-growth forests are natural forests that have developed over a long period of time, without experiencing severe, stand-replacing disturbance a fire, windstorm, or logging. According to UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA definition, an old-growth forest is a primary or a secondary forest which has achieved an age at which structure and species normally associated with old primary forests of that type have sufficiently accumulated to act as a forest ecosystem distinct from any younger age class. In a thematic contribution to the National Biodiversity Strategy, the authors report the following definition of Italian old-growth forests: Forest in which human disturbance is absent or negligible, and in which nat…

THE SAF HERBARIUM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST SCIENCE (UNIVERSITY OF PALERMO)

2014

In the wide scenario of herbaria housed in the Italian Universities there are very few examples of structures mainly devoted to forest sciences and fungi in forest ecosystems. The “Regio Istituto Superiore Forestale di Vallombrosa” (Tuscany), established in 1869, was the first example of a structure that housed an herbarium with exsiccata of forest trees. In Italy, the southernmost laurea degree course in “Environmental and Forest Sciences” concern the Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences in the University of Palermo (Sicily). Two herbaria (CAT and PAL) are currently present in Sicily with the following specialties: a) Vascular plants, bryophytes, and algae of Mediterranean area, …

Species–area relationship and small-island effect of vascular plant diversity in a young volcanic archipelago

2021

International audience; Aims: Aeolian islands form an active volcanic archipelago. By using updated vascular plant checklists for islands and islets, we tested four hypotheses: (i) Island speciesarea relationship (ISAR) of alien species has lower c-and higher z-values than native species, (ii) islands with active volcanoes have lower species richness than expected for native and alien species, (iii) ISAR of native species shows lower c-and higher z-values than ISARs of Mediterranean land bridge archipelagos and (iv) species richness of smaller islets is independent of area.Location: Aeolian Archipelago, Mediterranean Basin.Taxon: Vascular plants, identified and named according to the Flora …

Plant hunting: exploring the behaviour of amateur botanists in the field

2021

We asked what are the behavioural and logistic preferences of professional and amateur botanists when exploring flora in the field. We extracted temporal and spatial data on vas- cular plant species occurrences from three datasets of Sicilian flora: a subset of iNaturalist, a dataset collected by a Facebook group focused on the flora of Sicily and a subset of the professional database European Vegetation Archive. We used the time span of individual contributor’s activity as a proxy of their commitment to collecting information about the flora of Sicily. Climate and landscape data were used to better characterize the spatial and temporal activity of data contributors. Finally, we assessed wh…

Amaurodon mustialaënsis (Basidiomycota, Thelephoraceae) new to Italy

2014

Amaurodon mustialaensis is reported for the first time from Italy. Based on Italian specimens, a brief description, microscopical and macroscopical photographs, ecological and distributional data of this rare taxon are presented.

Last tesserae of a fading mosaic: floristic census and forest vegetation survey at Parche di Bilello (south-western Sicily, Italy), a site needing ur…

2021

This paper illustrates the botanic heritage of Parche di Bilello, a site located in the municipality of Castelvetrano. The study area hosts several woodland fragments dominated by Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Quercus suber and Quercus ilex, respectively. According to historical data, these nuclei represent the last remnants of an open forestland which covered a much wider coastal area between Mazara del Vallo and Sciacca until the end of Middle Age. Phytosociological relevés were focused on these forest nuclei, probably the most representative of south-western Sicily, which correspond to three habitats included in the 92/43 EEC Directive (9320, 9330 and 9340, respectively) and represent t…

Note corologiche e problematiche di conservazione in Sicilia su Stipa austroitalica Martinovsky subsp. appendiculata (Celak.) Moraldo (Poaceae)

2011

Biogeographia vol. )O(X — 2011 (Pubblicato il 23 dicembre 2011) La Biogeografla della Sicilia Note corologiche e problematiche di conservazione in Sicilia su Stipa austroitalica Martinovsky subsp. appendicalata (CV:elak.) Moraldo (Poaceae) ORAZIO CALDARELLA, ALFONSO LA ROSA, LORENZO GLANGUZZI Universita dz’ Palermo, Dzpartimento dz’ Biologia Ambientale e Bz'oa'z'z/ersita‘, via Arc/Jirafi 38, 90123 Palermo (Italy) Key words: Sicily, Stipa azzstroitalica subsp. appendiculata, Poaceae, Habitats Directive. SUMMARY A survey on distribution, ecology and status of Sicilian population of Stipa au:t7'oitalica subsp. appmdiculata was carried out on the basis of literature, herbarium dat…

The temporary wetland complex of Anguillara and its key role for the botanical heritage of western Sicily

2016

Temporary wetlands are endangered throughout the entire Mediterranean area (1). Contrary to the permanent wetlands, that (usually) cover larger surfaces and are now protected after a long period of siege and ‘reclamation’ attempts, temporary ponds and wetlands are small, scattered areas still under pressure and threatened by human activities. This fact represents a serious threat for biodiversity, since many species only occur in these peculiar sites. To secure their protection Mediterranean temporary ponds are listed as “priority habitat” in the EU “Habitats” Directive (92/43/EEC). The temporary ponds of Anguillara, located near Calatafimi in Western Sicily, host a huge amount of rare plan…

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 7

2019

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Abies, Actinidia, Aloe, Amaryllis, Anredera, Arctotheca, Bidens, Cardiospermum, Celosia, Commelina, Cotoneaster, Cyclamen, Eclipta, Euphorbia, Grevillea, Hedera, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Juglans, Kalanchoe, Koelreuteria, Lindernia, Melinis, Myriophyllum, Nandina, Nicotiana, Oenothera, Oxalis, Parthenocissus, Phoenix, Phyllanthus, Physalis, Plumbago, Pteris, Quercus, Setaria, Symphytum, Tagetes, and Washingtonia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published e…

Mycena pseudoinclinata, new to Italy

2012

The first report of Mycena pseudoinclinata in Italy is accompanied by notes on the taxonomy, ecology, and distribution of this uncommon basidiomycete.

I pantani di Anguillara (Calatafimi Segesta, Trapani): dati preliminari sulla biodiversità a supporto della tutela del biotopo

2016

Vengono presentati i risultati preliminari di una indagine multidisciplinare condotta in una zona umida nel territorio di Calatafimi Segesta in provincia di Trapani. L'area è di grande interesse per la presenza di rare specie animali e vegetali, di habitat minacciati tutelati da normative nazionali ed internazionali, ma anche perché è una delle ultime zone umide superstiti dell'entroterra trapanese. L'area ha subito in tempi recenti un pesante disturbo antropico che rischia di portare alla distruzione questo ambiente e il suo biota di pregio. Con questo contributo gli autori intendono supportare la richiesta di adeguata e urgente tutela del sito. Anguillara Ponds (Calatafimi Segesta, Trapan…

New Data on Native and Alien Vascular Flora of Sicily (Italy): New Findings and Updates

2023

In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria surveys, new data concerning the presence of 32 native and alien vascular species for Sicily (Italy) are provided. Among the native species, the occurrence of the following taxa is reported for the first time or confirmed after many decades of non-observation: Aira multiculmis, Arum maculatum, Carex flacca subsp. flacca, Mentha longifolia, Oxybasis chenopodioides, Najas minor and Xiphion junceum. Furthermore, we document the presence of three native species (Cornus mas, Juncus foliosus and Limonium avei) that, despite being repeatedly observed in Sicily and reported in the literature, are inexplicably omitted by the most recent authoritative ch…

Up-to-date distribution, ecology and cultivation of Pleurotus eryngii (DC.) Quél. var. thapsiae Venturella, Zervakis & Saitta in Sicily

2012

Venturella et al. [1] described a new taxon named Pleurotus eryngii (DC.) Quél. var. thapsiae Venturella, Zervakis & Saitta (Madonie Mts) on Thapsia garganica L. and provided ecological data on the locus classicus. P. eryngii var. thapsiae was reported on pastures evolved, from 1000 to 1500 m a.s.l., on limestone and is characterized by a double period of fructification (autumn and spring). P. eryngii var. thapsiae is a choice wild edible mushroom belonging to a special group of Pleurotus species which appear in nature in close association with Apiaceae plants. As part of the project's census of fungi in Sicily two new localities of growth were localized in the Natural Reserves of Capo Gall…

Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean

2021

Abstract Background The Aegadian Islands are located west of Trapani, Sicily. Once the site of bountiful tuna fisheries and fruit orchards (plums, peaches, apricots), grapevines, prickly pears, and grains, the local economy is now based on tourism, and many traditional agricultural and maritime practices have been abandoned. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the state of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) concerning the use of wild and cultivated plants and fungi for human health, food, maritime, and agricultural purposes on the islands of Levanzo, Favignana, and Marettimo and compare present-day practices with those documented in the past. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews …

An Updated Checklist of the Sicilian Native Edible Plants: Preserving the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Century-Old Agro-Pastoral Landscapes

2020

The traditional use of native wild food plants (NWFP) may represent a valuable supplementary food source for the present and future generations. In Sicily, the use of wild plants in the human diet dates back to very ancient times and still plays an important role in some rural communities. Moreover, in this regard, the natural and cultural inheritance of this island is wealthy and diversified for several reasons. First, Sicily hosts a rich vascular flora, with 3,000 native and 350 endemic plants. Second, due to its central position in the Mediterranean, the island has acted as a veritable melting pot for the ethnobotanical knowledge of the rural communities of the entire basin. We reviewed …

<I>Mycena pseudoinclinata,</I> new to Italy

2012

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">Inocybe castaneicolor (Agaricales, Basidiomycota), a n…

2017

Inocybe castaneicolor sp. nov., collected in Sicily (Italy), is introduced with full description, line drawings, and color photographs. Its novelty is supported by both its morphology and molecular phylogenetic analysis. It is characterized by its castaneous brown pileus with an evident umbo and sloped margin, subfusiform cystidia and smooth subamygdaliformis to subnavicular spores. Comparison of I. castaneicolor with similar species is also provided.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 11

2021

Publisher Copyright: © This dataset is made available under the Open Database License (http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). The Open Database License (ODbL) is a license agreement intended to allow users to freely share, modify, and use this Dataset while maintaining this same freedom for others, provided that the original source and author(s) are credited 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. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1. Peer rev…

FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN URBAN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

2014

In past and recent times the anthropic pressure strongly influenced the dynamic of forest ecosystems in Europe and led to a drastic decrease of forest cover and distribution mainly in unmanaged areas. The term “urban and community forests” refers to the trees and forests found in urbanized settings, in the center of cities and towns, in suburbs and rural ommunities, and at the edge of wild lands. Trees in the urban environment are subjected to a number of stresses which are very different from those suffered by trees in typical rural conditions. Biodiversity has been reduced in urban areas through ecosystem destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of remaining ecosystems. Recent investig…

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 8

2019

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 Bunias, Calocedrus, Calycanthus, Celosia, Clerodendrum, Convolvulus, Crassula, Cyclamen, Datura, Dicliptera, Eragrostis, Erigeron, Gamochaeta, Gazania, Impatiens, Kolkwitzia, Leucaena, Ludwigia, Medicago, Muscari, Nigella, Oenothera, Opuntia, Paulownia, Petroselinum, Phyllostachys, Physalis, Pseudosasa, Quercus, Reynoutria, Roldana, Saccharum, Sedum, Semiarundinaria, Senecio, Sisyrinchium, Solanum, Sporobolus, Tulipa, Vachellia, Verbena, and Young…

Additional file 1 of Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean

2021

Additional file 1. Ethnobiological uses of local taxa. Data table reporting the specific uses of local taxa documented in the present work and comparison to prior publications in the region. (.pdf file format).

Fungal biodiversity in old-growth forests of Sicily: preliminary results

2014

According to several authors an old-growth forest in Italy is a natural forest in which human disturbance is absent or negligible, and in which natural dynamics create a mosaic of all the forest regeneration phases, including the senescing one. Such phase is characterized by large old trees, deadwood (snags logs and coarse woody debris) and a vascular plant species composition that is consistent with the bio-geographical context and it includes highly specialized taxa related to the small-scale disturbance and the microhabitats resulting from structural heterogeneity. Unmanaged forests are the main refugee for rare and endangered species, including fungi. In Sicily, 472 hectares were recogn…

INDAGINI TASSONOMICHE, ECOLOGICHE E DISTRIBUTIVE SUL GENERE TRIFOLIUM L. IN SICILIA

2011

First records of Craterium aureonucleatum, Perichaena quadrata, and Physarum mutabile in Italy

2012

Three species of Mycetozoa, new for Italy, were identified in garrigues and maquis ecosystems on the volcanic island of Pantelleria (Sicily). The finding of Craterium aureonucleatum, Perichaena quadrata, and Physarum mutabile widens their distribution in Europe and identifies new substrata.

Supplementary material 1 from: Galasso G, Domina G, Andreatta S, Angiolini C, Ardenghi NMG, Aristarchi C, Arnoul M, Azzella MM, Bacchetta G, Bartoluc…

2019

: Data type: species data

Supplementary material 1 from: Galasso G, Domina G, Andreatta S, Argenti E, Bacchetta G, Bagella S, Banfi E, Barberis D, Bardi S, Barone G, Bartolucc…

2021

Supplementary data