Salvatore Cambria

• PhD
• PhD at University of Catania

In the journal Plants, we have organized a Special Issue entitled "Advances in Plant Taxonomy and Floristic Diversity: Insights from the Mediterranean and Beyond" which aims to publish articles in order to improve the knowledge on plant taxonomy and flora of the Mediterranean territories and surrounding areas. As is well known, the Mediterranean re...

Describing populations with peculiar phenotypic features as new taxa can lead to taxonomic inflation, hampering conservation and ecological studies. Here we tested the current taxonomy of the Dianthus virgineus complex, a diverse group of wild carnations that may be taxonomically inflated. We conducted a morphometric study including 28 characters a...

A new species of Solenopsis (Campanulaceae), S. gutermannii is described and illustrated. It is endemic to Kefalonia island, Greece, where it is very rare and localized in flat clay surfaces that are periodically submerged. This species is a very small annual hygrophyte, characterized by rosulate leaves or with slightly caulescent stems, long-pedun...

This study presents a complete and updated checklist of the vascular flora of the SAC “Bosco di Santo Pietro”, an important natural area located in south-eastern Sicily. Through an integrated approach combining field research, analysis of historical herbariums and a literature review, 583 taxa belonging to 78 families and 339 genera were identified...

In the frame of studies on the taxonomy of the Italian endemic flora, the first results of a study on the real consistency of Polygonum gussonei, a taxon described by Todaro in 1874 for Campania and Sicily, are presented. The species was later placed in synonymy by the most recent floras and checklists of the Italian vascular flora (Pignatti 2016-2...

Taxonomical investigations on Solenopsis corsica occurring in Corsica and Sardinia revealed that it represents a species complex, within which some morphologically well distinct taxa can be recognized. The surveyed populations are closely related among them, especially for the habit, with very small leaf hairy rosettes, small-sized flowers with div...

La più completa guida per l'identificazione della flora siciliana 2550 specie descritte-5000 fotografie-60 disegni FLORA DI SICILIA Questo libro si propone di illustrare la flora e la vegetazione della Sicilia e delle isole adiacenti, riportando per ciascuna specie la descrizione morfologica, la distribuzione, l'habitat, il periodo di fioritura e u...

Lupinus gredensis is generally treated as an endemic species to the Iberian Peninsula, with some occurrences reported for the eastern Mediterranean, considered to be the result of an introduction. The finding of five populations attributable to L. gredensis on the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Etna (Sicily, Italy) is here reported for the first time....

This paper presents the results of a phytosociological study on the Afroalpine vegetation of the Ruwenzori Mountains, one of the most prominent mountain ranges in Africa. This study marks the pioneering comprehensive investigation into the plant communities of this region, which holds significant phytogeographic importance. Through statistical anal...

Rocky habitats are suitable refuges for numerous rare and endemic plants. Due to their inaccessibility and the unreliability of traditional survey methods, assessing the survival status of these plants is quite a hard task. In order to address this sampling issue, we employed the drones and carried several field activities to investigate the vascul...

A new species, Cyclamen brulloi, is described and illustrated from Sicily (Italy). This is an Autumn flowering species belonging to Cyclamen subg. Cyclamen and it is currently restricted to some localities of western Sicily, where it grows on carbonatic rocks and in rocky crevices. This taxon shows close relationships both with C. hederifolium and...

The species of Centranthus (Valerianaceae) belonging to C. sect. Nervosae are investigated. They are currently represented by C. trinervis from southern Corsica and C. amazonum from central-eastern Sardinia. In addition, a new isolated population has been discovered in southwestern Sardinia, which is morphologically and ecologically very differenti...

Despite the wide amount of scientific contributions published on alien plant species, their diffusion dynamics, and their interactions with native taxa, it is increasingly difficult to slow down their spreading and their negative impact on habitats. Last recent years, in fact, a sharp rise in the number of new alien plant taxa introduced in Italy a...

This study investigates the distribution and conservation status of plant species in lentic wetlands of Mediterranean islands. Field data on vascular macrophytes were collected from the online national databases of the “Conservation of the island wetlands of the Mediterranean Basin” (MedIsWet). A comprehensive inventory of wetlands was conducted, a...

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: bri...

New Italian data on the distribution of 17 Annex I Habitats are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 11 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 30 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Apulia, Campania, Calabria, Lazio, Sardinia, Sicily and Tus...

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment of Aubrieta columnae subsp. sicula, Calligonum zakirovii and Santolina decumbens subsp. tisoniana at global level.

The native species of the genus Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) occurring in the Maltese Islands are investigated. According to current literature, this genus is hitherto represented in this territory by L. virgatum, L. zeraphae and L. melitense, but recent field surveys led to the discovery of a new species growing exclusively on the islet of Cominotto...

The name Anthemis aetnensis Spreng. is lectotypified with a specimen from the personal collec tion of Sprengel kept in the Paris Herbarium (P), and its duplicates (isolectotypes) are traced at G and K.

Pantelleria is a volcanic island located in the Sicily Channel (Italy), between Sicily and Tunisia. The island, designated a National Park in 2016, hosts an interesting vascular flora of over 600 species including 9 narrow endemics. The island's incredible biodiversity is, however, at risk due to anthropogenic influences, climate change, and, recen...

The populations usually attributed to Solenopsis bivonae (Tineo) M.B.Crespo, Serra & A.Juan are investigated from a taxonomical and morphological viewpoint. Within this species complex, four new subspecies occurring in Sicily and Calabria are recognized, such as subsp. bivonae, subsp. madoniarum, subsp. peloritana and subsp. brutia. In addition, a...

Sardinia and Corsica are two Mediterranean islands where the genus Armeria is represented by 11 taxa, 10 out of which are endemic. An integrative approach, using molecular phylogeny, karyology, and seed and plant morphometry was used to resolve the complex taxonomy and systematics in this group. We found that several taxa are no longer supported by...

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 fl...

This study aims to clarify the taxonomic doubts, which have varied over the centuries, on the only two endemic species of the genus Pimpinella growing in Italy: P. anisoides and P. gussonei. For this purpose, the main carpological characters of the two species were examined, analyzing the external morphological traits and their cross-sections. Four...

Based on herbarium and field investigations, the taxonomic status of Solenopsis laurentia (Campanulaceae), hygrophilous species belonging to the subfam. Lobelioideae showing a Mediterranean distribution is here examined. According to literature, it can be considered as a species complex, within which several taxa at specific and infraspecific rank...

The conservation actions of endangered plant species require a clear knowledge of their habitats. Urtica rupestris Guss. (Urticaceae) is a rare endemic plant species occurring on shady cliffs in the southern-eastern part of Sicily. In the last century, the extreme anthropogenic alterations of Hyblaean plateau have caused the continuous and unrestra...

MedIsWet (Conservation of the island wetlands of the Mediterranean Basin) is a MAVA funded project which aims at investigating all seasonal or permanent island wetlands both natural and artificial, with a minimum extent of 0.1 hectares. More than 16,000 wetlands from almost all the Mediterranean, including islands from France, Italy, Malta, Croatia...

Ephedra strongylensis, a new species from the islands of Stromboli and Strombolicchio (Aeolian Archipelago, Sicily), is described and illustrated. It is morphologically well differentiated from the other species occurring in the Mediterranean territories, showing some relationships especially with Ephedra aurea, chiefly for the articles scabrous-wr...

A new species of Solenopsis (Campanulaceae), S. bacchettae from Sardinia (Italy) is described and illustrated. Previously, it was misidentified as S. bivonae, due to its habit and corolla shape, but several relevant morphological features allow to distinguish it from the latter. Its morphology, seed coat and pollen micromorphology, ecology, distrib...

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment of Allium ravenii F.O.Khass., Shomuradov & Kadyrov and Centaurea seguenzae (Lacaita) Brullo, Marcenò & Siracusa at global level and Haloxylon persicum Bunge ex Boiss. & Buhse at region...

The development of a common database of alien plant species present in Sicily and Malta is one important target of the FAST project funded under Interreg V-A Italia-Malta 2014-2020 call 2/2019. The project, in full coherence with European strategy for the protection of the biodiversity, will counteract the introduction, naturalization and spread of...

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of two vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the global assessment of Isoëtes todaroana Troìa & Raimondo and Moluccella bucharica (B.Fedtsch.) Ryding.

In this contribution, Italian new data concerning the distribution of the Annex I Habitats 3150, 3170*, 3260, 4090, 91L0, 91M0, 9340 are reported. In detail, 20 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 30 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Campania,...

Lablab purpureus (Fabaceae) is a species native to tropical Africa, but widely cultivated and naturalized in many tropical and subtropical countries. We report the occurrence of this species for the first time in Sicily, close to the town of Palermo. The population seems to be well established and takes part to a sub-nitrophilous vegetation dominat...

This paper presents the validation of 16 new associations, described in a previous contribution, for the temporary ponds of the class Isoeto-Nanojuncetea in Apulia (southern Italy).

A syntaxonomical revision of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class for the Sicilian territory is provided. This syntaxon gathers the ephemeral herbaceous hygrophilous plant communities linked to periodically submerged soils, widely distributed in the European, circum-Mediterranean and Macaronesian territories. Within this class, two orders are recognized,...

Sida rhombifolia L. (Malvaceae) has been reported for the first time in Italy. This species with a Paleotropics geographic origin represents a new invasive alien species in the flora of Italy. It was already reported in several European countries as invasive species, but this plant is also known for its medicinal properties in many areas of the wor...

Morphological and nomenclatural investigations for two critical Mediterranean species of Elatine, i.e., E. macropoda and E. gussonei, as well as their correct distribution in Sicily, are discussed. These two names are lectotypified on herbarium specimens kept, respectively, at NAP and FI. The morphological investigations carried out on both the typ...

Ephedra aurea, a new species occurring in Sicily, is described and illustrated. Taxonomically, it shows close relationships with Ephedra nebrodensis mainly for the small size with internodes scabrous-wrinkled not fragile at the nodes, but relevant differences regarding the size and shape of twigs, leaves, male and female cones, ovules, seeds, fruit...

The name Thymus humifusus var. aureopunctatus, described from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is lectotypified, and its taxonomic value is discussed. Thymus richardii subsp. richardii is currently considered an endemic subspecies common to Mallorca (Balearic Islands) and Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Balkan Peninsula. Specimens identified as Th. richardi...

Ferula sommieriana, a new species occurring in Lampedusa and Linosa, islands of Pelagie Archipelago in the Sicilian Channel, is described and illustrated. Previously it was attributed to F. communis, from which it differs in several features regarding mainly the morphology and anatomy of terminal leaf lobes and mericarps, as well as the shape and s...

Thelypteris palustris Schott (Thelypteridaceae), known as “marsh fern”, is infrequent in the Mediterranean area. The occurrence of this species is known for almost all the Italian regions (except for Sardinia and Sicily), but with rare and declining populations. During floristic fieldwork on the Sicilian wetlands, a new unknown population was found...

A new subspecies of Epipactis microphylla, proposed as subsp. cossyrensis is described and illustrated from Pantelleria, a volcanic island near Sicily. It differs from subsp. microphylla mainly in the shape and size of leaves and bracts and several floral traits. This taxon, previously attributed to E. pollinensis, a species currently treated as a...

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria is presented. It includes the global assessment of Limonium parvifolium Tineo and Viscaria alpina (L.) G.Don, and the regional assessment of Rhazya stricta Decne. (Iraq).

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.

Ephedra Tourn. ex Linnaeus (1753: 1040) (Ephedraceae) includes about 80 species occurring worldwide (WCSP 2020 onwards). Ephedra nebrodensis Tineo ex Gussone (1844: 638) is a Macaronesian-Mediterranean nanophanerophyte, growing in dry and rocky places (Pignatti et al. 2017). However, if on one hand the application of this name is unequivocal, on th...

A synthetic and updated overview about the vascular flora and vegetation of the Island of Capo Passero (SE-Sicily) is provided. These data issue from two series of field surveys—the first carried out between 1997 and 2000, and the second between 2005 and 2019 and mostly focused on refining and implementing vegetation data. The current islet’s flora...

In the course of a taxonomical revision of Centaurea aeolica and the closely related C. pandataria, species confined to the Aeolian Archipelago (N Sicily) and Ventotene island (Pontian Archipelago, Latium) respectively, we describe a new species, named C. phalacrica, occurring on coastal metamorphic rocks near Messina (NE Sicily). These three speci...

Ethnobotanic surveys in the territory of Paceco (western Sicily). This study, conducted through interviews of farmers and artisans, allowed to provide new data on the traditional uses of plants linked to the local folklore of the community of Paceco, now almost entirely disappeared. In particular, this investigation has highlighted the great number...

Poa maroccana is an annual Mediterranean species, which is recorded for the first time from Sicily and for the whole Italian territory. It usually occurs in synanthopic habitats, represented mainly by urban and suburban roadsides, where it is quite sporadic. Based on current knowledge, it has been hitherto reported only in a few localities of the M...

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment of Soldanella calabrella Kress at global level, and the regional assessment of Luzula pindica (Hausskn.) Chrtek & Křísa and Romulea variicolor Mifsud (Italy).

Within taxonomic studies on the genus Bituminaria in Morocco, a population previously attributed to Psoralea bituminosa var. atropurpurea is examined. Basing on morphological investigations carried out on living and herbarium material coming from the type locality, it is treated as a distinct species and here proposed as Bituminaria atropurpurea co...

A new species of willow from Ikaria Island (Greece), named Salix aegaea, is described and illustrated. For the leaf shape, as well as for the hairy ovary, capsule and base of stamina filaments, it shows close relationships with the species belonging to S. apennina group. It is morphologically well differentiated in several features regarding the sh...

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. Furthermore, three new combinations are proposed. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided a...

This paper reports the results of a floristic survey carried out in the area falling within the S.A.C. ITA020002 “Boschi di Gibilmanna e Cefalù” (Sicily, Italy), a site with a marked environmental heterogeneity lying from almost sea level to over 1000 meters of altitude. On the basis of our investigations, a total of 605 taxa has been detected, inc...

Since 2015, the ongoing project “Harvesting Memories” has been focused on long-term landscape dynamics in Sicani Mountains (Western Sicily). Archaeological excavations in the case study site of Contrada Castro (Corleone) have investigated a settlement which was mainly occupied during the Early Middle Ages (late 8th–11th century AD). This paper aims...

The ephemeral hygrophilous vegetation occurring in the temporary ponds of Apulia (southern Italy) was studied following the phytosociological approach. On the base of 153 phytosociological relevés carried out during the period 2015-2018, 19 associations were identified, of which 16 described for the first time. All the associations belong to the Is...

Along the coasts of the Maltese Islands the sandy beaches are not very spread. Currently, some examples can be observed only in bays or small coves, where the sandy deposits tend to form small dunes. These surfaces usually are colonized by a paucispecific psammophilous vegetation, represented by perennial communities of the Ammophilion australis. S...

The coasts around the Maltese Islands are characterized by seagrass meadows, linked mainly to more or less sandy bottoms. These communities are mainly represented by monophytic populations of Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa or Halophila stipulacea, which occur prevalently in the infralittoral zone from the seashore up to 30–40 m deep. For this...

In the Maltese Islands the rupestrian communities linked to the crevices of the calcareous rocky walls, represented by the very high cliffs facing the sea and the wadis, are very widespread. In these stands reside several relict endemic species, often having an old Tertiary origin, which are member of very peculiar chasmophilous vegetation of the A...

During the winter-spring period in stands characterized by more or less salt soils, such as in the rocky reefs, a microphytic vegetation differentiated by rare precocious endemic species occurs. Other communities are localized also in the salt marshes, mainly in the clearings mixed to perennial vegetation of Sarcocornietea fruticosae. From the phyt...

The Maltese Islands are characterized by large limestone outcrops, where are very frequent rocky pools usually submerged during winter-spring period. These habitats have a relevant phytosociological role, since a specialized flora of small hydrophytes, is here localized. It is represented by several submerged and amphibious species, some of them en...

In the last decades within the geobotanical investigations, regarding the ecological correlations between vegetation and environment, phytosociological studies have been carried out where the dynamic relationships of serial or catenal kind are taken into consideration. This methodological approach is part of the synphytosociology, which was develop...

According to literature data (Haslam 1969; Schembri 1993) the Maltese Islands consist in a small archipelago aligned along an axis with NW-SE trend, situated in the Central Mediterranean about 96 km to the South of Sicily and about 284 km to Tunisia (Fig. 2.1). The main islands are Malta (245.7 km², coord. 35° 55′ 4″ N and 14° 24′ 35″ E), which is...

In the Maltese Archipelago although it is represented by small islands with almost absent water basins and very limited watercourses, the freshwater plant communities are quite frequent and well diversified. Within the hygrophilous vegetation it is possible to distinguish perennial and annual associations linked to stagnant or slowly flowing waters...

The flora of the Maltese islands was investigated by numerous authors, who since the seventeenth century have contributed to provide information on the indigenous and cultivated plants occurring in this Central Mediterranean territory. The earliest records date back to some prelinnaean authors (Abela 1647; Boccone 1674, 1697), who cited from Malta...

Currently, in the Maltese Islands the forest vegetation are very rare and localized, due to mainly for the millenarian anthropization of this territory. In fact, the woodland in the past were probably widespread especially in the inland and in the wadis, where they were mainly represented by Quercus ilex woods and perhaps also by pinewood of Pinus...

The rocky shorelines directly affected by sea agents are colonized by perennial halophylous communities dominated by various species of Limonium, usually associated to Crithmum maritimum, Cichorium spinosum and Crucianella rupestris. This vegetation, clearly belonging to Crithmo maritimi-Limonietea, is widespread along the coast of all the islands,...

The coastal lagoons, usually localized in the inner part of sandy belt, are colonized by hygro-halophilous plant communities, characterized by succulent chamaephytes and nanophanerophytes, as well as by perennial helophytes and therophytes. They are splitted in several associations well distinct from floristic and physiognomic point of view, which...

QUERCETEA ILICIS Br.-Bl. ex A. & O. Bolòs 1950

The Maltese islands, as well as all the other Mediterranean insular environments, due to the anthropic disturbance dating back to some millennia ago, show a rich nitrophilous flora, which is spread in many secondary habitats. Several and diversified plant communities are frequent in these ruderal stands, represented by footpaths, roadsides, ruble a...

The marked environmental aridity featuring the Maltese Island has clearly a confirmation in the occurrence and spread mainly in rocky habitats of annual plant communities, linked to the edaphic xericity. Most of them show a pioneer character fitting well to shallow soils in contact with the rock, as well as to sands and clays. From the floristical...

The perennial herbaceous communities characterized by a marked edaphic xericity are widespread in all Maltese Islands. Physiognomically, these grasslands are differentiated by big hemicryptophytes showing a caespitose or stoloniferous habit, as Lygeum spartum, Hyparrhenia hirta, Brachypodium retusum, Andropogon distachyos, Oryzopsis miliacea, etc....

Another type of nitrophilous vegetation regards the cultural habitats, where it is localized a very specialized and selected commensal flora. In the Maltese Islands there are many cultivated lands, represented by cereal, leguminous and horticultural crops, orchads and vineyards, which are characterized by different weedy communities. They are linke...

The riparian woodland in the Maltese Islands are very rare and represented by scattered and isolated patches, which are very depauperated and degraded due to intense anthropic activities. Besides, it is to be noted that in this territory the watercourses are short with a limited flow and usually dried in summertime. Currently, this type of vegetati...

Another type of synantrophic vegetation frequent in the Maltese Islands is that one localized in the uncultivated lands or abandoned fields (Fig. 20.1), previously used for herbaceous crops. In these communities numerous therophytes well adapted to more or less nitrified soils are frequent and often dominant. Floristically, this vegetation is chara...

The synanthropic communities colonizing the walls of old buildings and road stoneworks are very frequent in the Maltese Islands. This casmophilous vegetation, showing nitrophilous exigences, is well represented in urban and suburban habitat and is characterized by quite specialized chamaephytes or hemicryptophytes. It is a perennial vegetation, bel...

According to MEPA (2010) and ERA (2017), in the Maltese Islands within a management plan for the preservation of areas deemed deserving of protection, 34 terrestrial “Natura 2000” sites have been recognized, of which 27 are Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and 7 are Species Protection Areas (SPAs). Inside of these protected areas there are speci...

This book discusses the remarkable plant diversity of the Maltese Archipelago. Despite its relatively small area and long-term human exploitation, many different plant communities occur in this territory. The book presents phytosociological investigations, together with taxonomical studies, which have been conducted over more than forty years, high...

Vengono presentate nuove località e/o conferme relative 75 taxa specifici e sottospecifici di piante vascolari della flora vascolare toscana, appartenenti a 67 generi e 41 famiglie: Delosperma (Aizoaceae), Dysphania (Amaranthaceae), Leucojum, Nothoscordum (Amaryllidaceae), Bupleurum, Coriandrum (Apiaceae), Araujia (Apocynaceae), Lemna (Araceae), Hy...

Nell'ambito di indagini tassonomiche sulle specie critiche o rare della flora sicula, vengono presentati i risultati di uno studio preliminare riguardante Trifolium isthmocarpum Brot., specie descritta per il Portogallo da Brotero (1816), ampiamente distribuita nel Mediterraneo occidentale (Portogallo, Spagna, Portogallo, Marocco, Algeria, Tunisia,...

Poa jubata A. Kern., an annual South-eastern European species, is reported for the first time from Italy. It is a therophyte linked to temporary ponds with soils flooded during the winter period. It is a very rare and enigmatic species, currently known only from a few localities of the Balkan Peninsula. Recently, it was surveyed in an Apulian wetla...

A new species of willow from Crete, named Salix kaptarae Cambria, C. Brullo & Brullo, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it shows close relationships with species belonging to the S. apennina group, mainly with respect to the leaf shape, and the hairy ovary, capsule and base of stamina filaments. Considerations on its ecology, leaf micr...

A new species, Allium albanicum, is described and illustrated from Albania (Balkan Peninsula). It grows on serpentines or limestone in open rocky stands with a scattered distribution, mainly in mountain locations. Previously, the populations of this geophyte were attributed to A. meteoricum Heldr. & Hausskn. ex Halácsy, described from a few localit...