Floristic compilation updates native and alien plant records across Italy

A floristic record compilation reports new, confirmed and excluded occurrences of native vascular plants across several Italian regions, updates the status of regional alien taxa and introduces a new nomenclatural combination for a species formerly placed in Centranthus. The publication synthesizes field observations, cited herbarium material and reassessments of earlier literature. In Lazio, field collections documented Alchemilla lasenii and Alchemilla tirolensis as new to the regional flora.

The A. lasenii population at Agro Nero–Illica in Accumoli significantly extends the species’ disjunct Apennine range. Records of A. tirolensis at Agro Nero–Illica and on Monte Cavallo near Picinisco extend its reported range southward. Maiella collections established Carex hartmaniorum as new to Abruzzo and the Apennines.

Specimens previously identified as C. buxbaumii were reassigned to C. hartmaniorum, which was also documented in wetlands around Palena and Ovindoli. The compilation correspondingly proposed excluding C. buxbaumii from the Abruzzo flora. New regional records were reported for Astragalus hypoglottis subsp. gremlii in Puglia and Avena barbata in Valle d’Aosta. Further records concerned Centranthus angustifolius in Toscana and Gagea minima in Abruzzo. Additional regional records concerned Plantago altissima in Umbria and Salix eleagnos in Puglia.

Several entries confirmed earlier regional reports. These included Centaurea dichroantha in Veneto, Filago congesta in Sardegna and Stachys romana in Piemonte. A specimen-based finding of Chenopodiastrum hybridum in Toscana represented the region’s unique recent record supported by herbarium material, while later findings of Lappula squarrosa confirmed that species’ presence after older records had left its status uncertain.

The compilation also proposed exclusions. Aethusa cynapium subsp. cynapium was excluded from Campania, and the Abruzzo record of Seseli annuum subsp. annuum was referred instead to S. pallasii, which was added to the regional flora. Lysimachia monellii was excluded from Sardegna because its red-flowered populations were assigned to the distinct species L. collina following molecular analyses.

Among regional alien plants, Crepis foetida subsp. rhoeadifolia was recorded as a naturalized alien new to Lazio. Nymphoides peltata was likewise reported as a naturalized alien new to Calabria. Its occupied area was described as increasing from approximately 1 square metre when first detected four years earlier to more than 50 square metres, although the pathway of spread remained unresolved.

Onobrychis viciifolia changed from casual to naturalized alien status in Sardegna. Historical records documented cultivation on the island from the eighteenth century, while more recent observations showed substantial spread along major roads in northern Sardegna, including large populations along the SS 729 and adjoining routes. The authors considered these records evidence of naturalization rather than occasional cultivation or subspontaneous occurrence.

The nomenclatural section establishes Valeriana pontecorvi as a new combination based on Centranthus pontecorvi. The authors related this treatment to molecular phylogenetic studies in which Centranthus formed a well-supported monophyletic clade nested within Valeriana. Additional nomenclatural and distribution updates and corrigenda to a 2024 flora are provided in supplementary material.

Subject of Research: Italian native and alien vascular plant distribution records and taxonomic revisions

Article Title: Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 20

Article References: Bartolucci, F., Domina, G., Angiolini, C., Argenti, C., Bacchetta, G., Barberis, D., Bertotto, G., Bonari, G., Calvia, G., Candini, F., Coltri, F., Conti, F., Del Guacchio, E., Di Pietro, R., Festi, F., Fois, M., Forte, L., Galasso, G., Gallo Splendore, M., … Lastrucci, L. (2025). Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 20. Italian Botanist, 20, 89-107. https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.20.179511

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3897/italianbotanist.20.179511

Keywords: floristic records, vascular plants, Italy, plant distribution, alien species, herbarium specimens, taxonomy, nomenclature, biodiversity monitoring, Notulae, Italian, native