Access to this full-text is provided by Pensoft Publishers.
Content available from Italian Botanist
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Itineraries of the Working Group for Vegetation
Science of the Italian Botanical Society – 1 (2022):
Excursion to the Egadi Islands, Mount San Giuliano and
Mount Cofano (Trapani, western Sicily, Italy)
Lorenzo Gianguzzi1,2, Riccardo Guarino3, Giuseppe Bazan3, Romeo Di Pietro4,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta5, Enrico Bajona6, Peter Bolliger7, Costantino Bonomi8,
Adriano Camuo9, Carlo Console10, Simonetta Fascetti11, Paola Fortini12,
Annarita Frattaroli13, Giacomo Mei14, Fabio Mondello15, Silvia Olivari16,
Masin Rizzieri17, Leonardo Rosati12, Simona Sarmati5, Leonardo Scuderi18,
Marco Simonazzi19, Giovanni Spampinato20, Lucia Viegi21, Adriano Stinca22
1Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Bldg. 5,
90128 Palermo, Italy 2NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133 Palermo, Italy 3Department
of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo,
90123 Palermo, Italy 4Department Planning, Design and Architecture Technology, Sapienza University of
Rome, Via Flaminia 70, 00196 Rome, Italy 5Department of Sciences, University of Rome 3, 00146 Rome, Italy
6PLANTA/Autonomous Center for Research, Documentation and Training, Via Serraglio Vecchio 28, 90123
Palermo, Italy 7Frohbergstr. 71b, 8620 Wetzikon, Switzerland 8MUSE, Museo delle Scienze, corso della sci-
enza, 3, 38122 Trento, Italy 9Via Adria 24/A, 35142 Padova, Italy 10Via Puglia, 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
11School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo
Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy 12Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Fonte Lap-
pone, 86090 Pesche, Italy 13Department of Life Health and Environmental Sciences University of L’Aquila,
Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy 14Department of Agri-envorinmental ad Territorial Sciences, University of
Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy 15Department of Chemical, Biological, Phar-
maceutical and Enviromental Science (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166 S.Agata
(Messina), Italy 16Reparto Carabinieri Parco Nazionale “Cinque Terre” via Fegina 34 bis 19016 Monterosso al
Mare (SP), Italy 17Via Regazzoni Bassa 3, 35036 Montegrotto Terme (Padova), Italy 18Via Andromaca 60,
9100 Trapani, Italy 19Via Gina Bianchi 10, 46020 Pegognaga (Mantova), Italy 20Department of Agricul-
ture, “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy 21Via
Trieste, 15, 56126 Pisa, Italy 22Department o of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and
Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Corresponding authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi (lorenzo.gianguzzi@unipa.it); Riccardo Guarino (riccardo.guarino@unipa.it);
Giuseppe Bazan (giuseppe.bazan@unipa.it)
Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
doi: 10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989
https://italianbotanist.pensoft.net
Copyright Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC
BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
2
Academic editor: G. Domina | Received 23 March 2023 | Accepted 6 July 2023 | Published 31July 2023
Citation: Gianguzzi L, Guarino R, Bazan G, Di Pietro R, Acosta ATR, Bajona E, Bolliger P, Bonomi C, Camuo A,
Console C, Fascetti S, Fortini P, Frattaroli A, Mei G, Mondello F, Olivari S, Rizzieri M, Rosati L, Sarmati S, Scuderi L,
Simonazzi M, Spampinato G, Viegi L, Stinca A (2023) Itineraries of the Working Group for Vegetation Science of the
Italian Botanical Society – 1 (2022): Excursion to the Egadi Islands, Mount San Giuliano and Mount Cofano (Trapani,
western Sicily, Italy). Italian Botanist 16: 1–57. https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989
Abstract
e results of the annual excursion of the Working Group for Vegetation Science of the Italian Botanical
Society, held in the Egadi Islands, Mount San Giuliano and Mount Cofano (W Sicily) on April 23–27 2022,
are presented. is paper includes: (1) general information on the visited sites; (2) geology and geomorphol-
ogy; (3) climatology and bioclimatology with tables of climatic data; (4) description of the following ve
geobotanical itineraries – accompanied by 29 original vegetation relevés and 11 synthetic relevés, proceeding
from dierent bibliographic references: (a) Mount San Giuliano; (b) Marettimo Island: coastal and sub-
coastal stretch of the southern part, between Punta Bassana and Contrada Chiappera; (c) Marettimo Island:
Case Romane, Mount Pizzo Falcone and the north-western coastal stretch; (d) Island of Levanzo; (e) Mount
Cofano – with catenal pictograms of the vegetation, surveys and description of the plant communities and re-
lated syntaxonomic scheme; (5) list of the surveyed plant taxa, collected specimens and herbaria in which they
are deposited. A new syntaxon is also described (Catapodio pauciori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova), referring
to an ephemeral dry grassland located along the north-western coastal stretch of Marettimo. e new associa-
tion is framed in the Plantagini-Catapodion balearici, alliance of the Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi order of
the class Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae (order Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi, alliance Plantagini-Catapodion
balearici). An original synoptic table, regarding 17 dierent plant communities with high frequency of Moraea
sisyrinchium, provides a comparative framework of the new association with allied vegetation units so far
described throughout the Mediterranean region. Syntaxonomical and nomenclatural remarks regarding the
Mediterranean vegetation occurring in this territory are also given throughout the text. Some oristic updates
for the study sites are also reported, including the discovery for the rst time in Sicily of Lysimachia loeingii.
Keywords
Egadi Island, Phytogeography, Syntaxonomy, Vascular ora, Vegetation, Western Sicily
Introduction
is paper was inspired by the numerous vegetation studies carried out, mainly in the
Iberian countries, by Salvador Rivas-Martínez (July 16, 1935–August 27, 2020) and
his collaborators and published in the series “Itinera Geobotanica” edited by the Aso-
ciación Española de Fitosociología (AEFA). In the present contribution, results of the
surveys carried out during an excursion of the Working Group for Vegetation Science
of the Italian Botanical Society are presented. e aim is to provide information on
the plant communities encountered, as well as on the environmental characteristics of
the inspected stands. In particular, representative biotopes have been selected in order
to provide opportunities for a critical and comparative study with similar vegetation
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 3
aspects occurring in nearby territories. It should be emphasized that one of the main
scientic activities envisaged by this Working Group is to improve knowledge on Ital-
ian vegetation through eld surveys, which allow for the increment of data relating to
the syntaxa and their oristic set. Moreover, the phytosociological approach, based on
oristic, ecological, structural, and phytogeographic analyses, furthers our knowledge
of the correlations within the syndynamic processes that determine a natural evolution
of the phytocoenoses.
In the 2022 excursion, which took place from 23 to 27 April, the object of the geo-
botanical investigation was the extreme western sector of Sicily (Figs 1–3), with guided
tours focused on two important and isolated mountain reliefs located along the coast
(Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano), as well as the islands of Marettimo and Levanzo,
in the Egadi Archipelago.
Previously, these areas of Sicily were targeted in various phytosociological investiga-
tions concerning above all Mt. Cofano (Barbagallo et al. 1979, 1980; Gianguzzi and
Ottonello 2000; Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008) and Marettimo (Brullo and Marcenò
1983) or extended to the whole Province of Trapani (Scuderi 2006) or to Sicily (Brullo
et al. 2008; Gianguzzi et al. 2016a; Guarino and Pasta 2017). Further important con-
tributions concern monographic studies on the woody vegetation (Brullo and Marcenò
1985a; Brullo et al. 2008; Marino et al. 2012), the chasmophilous vegetation (Brullo and
Marcenò 1979; Brullo et al. 2004), the perennial dry grasslands (Minissale 1995; Brullo
et al. 2006, 2010), the coastal rocky vegetation (Bartolo et al. 1992), and the synanthropic
vegetation (Brullo and Marcenò 1980, 1985b; Brullo 1985; Brullo et al. 2007).
Concerning the ora, apart from the classic oristic studies by Gussone (1832–34,
1842–45) and Lojacono-Pojero (1888–1909), more recent contributions were made by
Giardina et al. (2006) and Brullo et al. (2020), as well as those on Marettimo (Francini and
Messeri 1956; Gianguzzi et al. 2006), Levanzo (Di Martino and Trapani 1968; Romano
et al. 2006), and Mt. Cofano (Barbagallo et al. 1979, 1980; Gianguzzi et al. 2005). Fur-
ther data are available from the Province of Trapani (Raimondo et al. 1986, 1990, 1992;
Scuderi 2006; Aleo et al. 2013), related oristic reports (e.g. Catanzaro 1984; Brullo and
Marcenò 1985b; Ottonello and Catanzaro 1986; Raaelli and Ricceri 1988; Lorenz and
Lorenz 2002; La Rosa et al. 2021; etc.) or descriptions of new species (e.g. Raimondo
and Bancheva 2004; Brullo C. et al. 2009; Brullo et al. 2016; Domina et al. 2017, etc.).
e present contribution aims to summarize, in the form of a geobotanical report,
the knowledge and critical issues concerning the plant communities identied during
the aforementioned annual excursion of our Working Group. Furthermore, syntaxo-
nomic and phytogeographic considerations, that fueled the debate during this eld
trip in one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the Mediterranean basin (Médail and
Quezel 1999), are reported.
Study area
Mount San Giuliano (791 m a.s.l.) – on the summit of which the town of Erice
rises – and Mount Cofano (659 m a.s.l.), located further to the north-east (Munici-
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
4
Figure 1. Map of the itineraries of the 2022 annual excursion of the Working Group for Vegetation Sci-
ence of the Italian Botanical Society, numbered in chronological order. Arrows correspond to the precise
location of the sites depicted in Fig. 2.
pality of Custonaci), are two important landmarks in NW Sicily. Geologically, they
consist of carbonate rocks dating back to the Mesozoic, interspersed with calcarenite
substrates originating from Pleistocene bioclastic and aeolian processes (Abate et al.
1993; Lentini and Carbone 2014). As regards the islands of Marettimo (12.3 km2)
and Levanzo (5.6km2), they are part of the Egadi archipelago, together with Favig-
nana Formica and Maraone, which emerged during the early Miocene, in the period
known as the “Egadi Range” (Catalano et al. 1985; Catalano 1986). In particular,
Marettimo, dominated by Pizzo Falcone (686 m a.s.l.), is made up of dolomite, marl
and limestone dating back to the period between the Middle Trias and the Lower
Lias with pelagic and reef facies (Abate et al. 1999; Gasparo Morticelli et al. 2016).
Instead, the island of Levanzo is dominated by carbonate and clastic-terrigenous sub-
strates dating back to the Mesozoic and Tertiary, with Plio-Pleistocene and Holocene
depositions (Abate et al. 1995).
According to the biogeographical classication proposed by Rivas-Martínez et al.
(2004), the study area falls within the Mediterranean Region, West Mediterranean
Sub-Region, Italo-Tyrrhenian Province, Sicilian Sector, Western Sub-Sector and Aega-
dian district (Brullo et al. 1995).
All visited sites belong to the Natura 2000 network as Special Areas of Conserva-
tion (SACs), with the following codes: ITA010010 – Mt. San Giuliano; ITA010016
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 5
– Mt. Cofano and its coastline; ITA010002 – Marettimo; ITA010003 – Levanzo.
ese are also included in the following Special Protection Areas (SPAs): ITA010027
– Egadi Archipelago; ITA010029 – Mount Cofano, Mount San Vito and Mount
Sparagio. e area of Mount Cofano is also a Nature Reserve of the Region of Sicily,
while the seacoast of Marettimo and Levanzo is part of the “Egadi Islands” Marine
Nature Reserve.
Bioclimatology
Due to the lack of meteorological stations in the Egadi archipelago, the climatic re-
cords in the area are based on data collected by the Ministry of Public Works (1978–
1996) from the thermo-pluviometric or pluviometric stations installed in Capo San
Vito (6 m a.s.l.), Trapani (15 m a.s.l.), Sant’Andrea Bonagia (48 m a.s.l.), Lentina
(125m a.s.l.), Specchia (140 m a.s.l.), and Erice (756 m a.s.l.). All these stations are
located along the coast, within a radius of 50 km from the center of the study area.
Table 1 reports the annual averages of max. and min. temperatures (in °C),
daily temperature ranges, and absolute max. and min. temperatures recorded at the
weather stations of Trapani, Capo S. Vito, and Erice. Table 2 shows the average
monthly and annual rainfall recorded in the period 1926–1985 of all the afore-
mentioned stations (Duro et al. 1996). e climate throughout the study area is
characterized by a rainfall regime of Mediterranean type, with markedly dry sum-
mers and mild winters. In particular, Marettimo is rainier than Levanzo, and so is
Mt. San Giuliano compared to Mt. Cofano, since fogs and hidden precipitations
are frequent on its top. Average annual temperatures vary between 18.1 and 19 °C,
gradually decreasing to 14.5 °C on the summit of Mt. San Giuliano. Overall, the
proximity of the sea aects signicantly the temperatures of the whole area, mitigat-
ing the climatic extremes.
Based on the bioclimatic classication proposed by Rivas-Martínez (2004), the
study areas are arranged in the following units:
1. Mt. San Giuliano – From thermo-Mediterranean with lower sub-humid om-
broclimate (coastal plain) to Meso-Mediterranean with upper sub-humid ombrocli-
mate on the top (Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008).
2. Mt. Cofano – From thermo-Mediterranean with lower sub-humid ombrocli-
mate (coastal plain) to Meso-Mediterranean with upper sub-humid ombroclimate on
the top (Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008);
3. Marettimo – From thermo-Mediterranean with dry/sub-humid ombroclimate
to Meso-Mediterranean with sub-humid ombroclimate above 400–550 m altitude
(Gianguzzi et al. 2006);
4. Levanzo – ermo-Mediterranean with upper dry ombroclimate (Romano et
al. 2006).
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
6
Table 2. Average monthly and annual rainfall and number of rainy days (r.d.) recorded at the weather
stations of Trapani, Capo San Vito, Sant’Andrea Bonagia, Lentina, Specchia (1926–1985; after Duro et
al. 1996) and Erice (1978–1996; after Ministero dei LL. PP. 1978–1996).
Month Trapani
(15 m a.s.l.)
Capo S. Vito
(6 m a.s.l.)
S. Andrea B. (48
m a.s.l.)
Lentina
(125 m a.s.l.)
Specchia
(140 m a.s.l.)
Erice
(756 m a.s.l.)
mm r.d. mm r.d. mm r.d. mm r.d. mm r.d. mm r.d.
January 64.2 10 68.4 9 75.0 10 88.6 11 80.3 11 81.7 10
February 50.8 8 58.6 8 65.6 9 77.6 10 71.6 10 61.8 10
March 44.1 7 42.8 6 60.0 8 56.7 8 49.8 8 71.9 10
April 34.4 5 35.1 5 42.2 6 44.4 6 36.2 5 72.6 8
May 19.2 3 18.1 2 22.6 3 24.6 3 18.5 3 35.2 5
June 8.0 1 5.6 1 8.9 1 6.7 1 7.6 1 6.5 2
July 1.7 – 3.2 – 2.6 - 1.8 – 2.3 – 4.0 –
August 9.5 1 9.1 1 15.1 1 9.4 1 10.5 1 10.0 1
September 35.3 3 41.6 3 55.7 4 47.2 4 41.3 4 49.3 4
October 71.1 7 71.2 7 89.3 7 90.0 8 83.3 8 90.6 7
November 69.6 8 66.7 8 85.1 9 95.3 9 75.1 8 86.4 10
December 75.1 11 82.0 10 78.6 11 96.5 12 83.3 11 82.0 11
Year 483 64 502.4 60 602.7 69 637.8 73 559.8 70 651.3 78
Materials and methods
Bioclimatic units are based on Rivas-Martínez’s classication (2004); indices were cal-
culated on data extracted from Drago et al. (2005) and Duro et al. (1996). Reference
was made also to Gianguzzi and La Mantia (2008), Bazan et al. (2015), and Gianguzzi
et al. (2016b).
Following the phytosociological approach (Braun-Blanquet 1964), 29 original rel-
evés and 11 synthetic relevés, elaborated from dierent bibliographic references regard-
ing the study area, were carried out. e syntaxonomic classication refers to dierent
contributions cited throughout the text.
e oristic lists of collected or observed taxa from Mt. San Giuliano, Marettimo, Lev-
anzo, and Mt. Cofano are reported in Suppl. materials 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. New o-
ristic records are highlighted with a note in the tables provided in the Suppl. materials 1–4.
e collected plant material is preserved in public (FI, HFLA, HLUC, IS, IT,
the acronyms follow iers 2023), or private herbaria (Herb. G. Mei). e identi-
cation of the plant specimens was based on Pignatti et al. (2017–2019). Taxonomic
nomenclature follows the checklists of the Italian vascular ora (Bartolucci et al. 2018;
Table 1. Annual averages of max., min. and diurnal temperatures (in °C), daily temperature range, ab-
solute max. and min. temperatures recorded at the weather stations of Trapani (15 m a.s.l.), Capo S. Vito
(15 m a.s.l.) (Duro et al. 1996) and Erice (759 m a.s.l.) (Ministero dei LL. PP. 1978–1996).
Station Av. max. Av. min Av. diurnal Daily range Absolute max. Absolute min.
Trapani 21.7 14.4 18.1 7.3 41.8 0.1
Capo S. Vito 22.4 15.5 19.0 6.9 43.0 2.4
Erice 17.5 11.9 14.5 5.6 41.0 -2.7
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 7
Galasso et al. 2018) and their updates available on the Portal to the Flora of Italy
(2023), apart from: Coronilla valentina L. subsp. glauca (L.) Batt., Hyoseris baetica
Sch. Bip. ex Nyman, Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth var. maritima (Boiss.) Fiori [Pig-
natti et al. 2017–2019; Gianguzzi et al. 2006], Senecio aegadensis C. Brullo et Brullo
Figure 2. Tracks of the itineraries of excursions to Mount San Giuliano (1), Marettimo island (2, 3 ),
Levanzo island (4), and Mount Cofano (5). All maps have the same cartographic scale (basemap provided
by Google Terrain).
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
8
(Brullo and Brullo 2020) [= Senecio leucanthemifolius Poir. subsp. leucanthemifolius],
Helichrysum panormitanum Tineo ex Guss. subsp. messeriae (Pignatti) C. Brullo et
Brullo and subsp. brulloi Iamonico et Pignatti (Iamonico et al. 2016; Brullo and Brullo
2020), and Lysimachia loeingii (Jiménez-Lopez et al. 2022). For the taxa not belong-
ing to the ora of Italy, cited in Table 4, the World Flora Online (2023) was followed.
Excursion to Mount San Giuliano (23 April 2022): Erice, Venus
Castle, trail surrounding the castle
Mt. San Giuliano (786 m a.s.l.) is located near Trapani; it has an almost triangular
shape, with rather steep southern and eastern slopes and a less abrupt morphology on
north and north-western anks, which are interrupted by stepped faults (Lentini and
Carbone 2014). Despite the anthropic pressure exerted on it since ancient times, this
mountain has a high naturalistic value and is often mentioned as one of the biotopes
with the highest biodiversity in Sicily.
L – Erice, on the summit of Mt. San Giuliano, is an ancient town founded
by the Elymians, which dominates a landscape now altered by various anthropic distur-
bances. In particular, the higher areas are covered by extensive reforestation with coni-
fers, which are periodically subject to res, while the rest of the area is characterized by
low secondary shrublands, represented by maquis (dominated by Chamaerops humilis
or Cytisus infestus) and garrigues (dominated by ymbra capitata, and Erica multiora),
by steppic grasslands with Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta or Ampelodesmos mauritanicus,
and by ephemeral meadows, usually interspersed with rocky outcrops colonized by sev-
eral endemic chasmophytes. Limited patches of woody vegetation dominated by holm
oak or laurel occur in cooler microclimate stands of the northern slope.
S – e basal xeric belt of Mt. San Giuliano is main-
ly represented by maquis with lentisk and dwarf palm (Pistacio lentisci-Chamaeropo
humilis sigmetum), lithophilous climatic vegetation linked to very sunny and arid
stands especially with southern exposure. In conditions of marked edaphic xerity, as in
the more rocky stands, it is sometimes replaced by an oleaster series ascribed to Ruto
chalepensis-Oleo sylvestris sigmetum, which shows a scattered distribution and can be
traced back to remains of ancient olive groves long since abandoned and now gone
wild, which were saved from res and cuts. is plant community is here represented
by the Ruto chalepensis-Oleetum sylvestris subass. euphorbietosum bivonae (Gianguzzi
and Bazan 2020a, 2020b). e semi-rupestrian rock outcrops are usually colonized by
the Euphorbia dendroides maquis, which must be considered as an edapho-xerophilous
community in contact with chasmophilous associations. Among the secondary plant
communities occurring in this belt, xeric grasslands with Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta
(Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis s. l.) and therophytic meadows of the class Stipo-
Trachynietea distachyae must be mentioned.
e holm oak series (Pistacio lentisci-Querco ilicis sigmetum) develops within the
upper belt, inuenced by the ermo- to Meso-Mediterranean subhumid bioclimate.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 9
Figure 3. a Participants to the escursion (Erice, 23 April 2022) b view of the northern summit of Mt.
San Giuliano, next to Torretta Pepoli, with stands of rupestrian and forest vegetation c the local endemic
Centaurea erycina, character species of Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae subass. brassicetosum drepanen-
sis d view of the village of Marettimo surrounded by formerly terraced elds and by the rugged landscape
of the island e view of the Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis, with Punta Bassana in the background
fvegetation of Limonietum tenuiculi, fringing the rocky shore of Marettimo.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
10
It is represented by the following vegetation units: climatophilous woodland with
Quercus ilex and Pistacia lentiscus (Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis); scrub with Chamae-
rops humilis (Pistacio-Chamaeropetum humilis) and/or Cytisus infestus (Pyro amygdali-
formis-Calicotometum infestae); garrigue with Erica multiora (Micromerio fruticulosae-
Ericetum multiorae corr. = Erico-Micromerietum fruticulosae); perennial dry grassland
with Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesmetum mauritanici);
nitrophilous hemicryptophytic vegetation (Carlino siculae-Feruletum communis); thero-
phytic meadow with Stipellula capensis (Ononido breviorae-Stipetum capensis).
In this belt, other more circumscribed series occur, such as that of the chestnut
oak series (Oleo-Querco virgilianae sigmetum, see Brullo and Marcenò 1985a; Brullo
et al. 2008; Di Pietro et al. 2020a, 2020b) on deep and evolved soils, mainly repre-
sented by secondary plant communities on abandoned cropland, as well as the laurel
series (Acantho-Lauro nobilis sigmetum), on cooler stands, such as gorges with a north-
ern exposure. Lastly, the microgeosigmetum of clis, with associations of the alliance
Dianthion-rupicolae (Asplenietea trichomanis), must be mentioned. e intricate issue
regarding the taxonomic identity of the thermophilous pubescent white oaks of Sicily
and southern Italy has been addressed by several authors (Brullo et al. 1999; Guarino et
al. 2015; Wellstein and Spada 2015; Di Pietro et al. 2016; Pasta et al. 2016; Musarella
et al. 2018; Di Pietro et al. 2020a, 2020b, 2021).
E – Several endemic taxa thrive on Mt. San Giuliano,
such as Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola (Tyrrhenian endemic) and Micromeria graeca
subsp. fruticulosa (endemic to western Sicily, the island of Capri, and the Sorrento
peninsula). Mt. San Giuliano is the locus classicus of Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis,
with a few other stands on Mt. Cofano and Capo San Vito, Centaurea erycina (Fig. 3c),
(Raimondo and Bancheva 2004), and Silene nefelites (Brullo et al. 2014). A few other
rare, non-endemic, species, namely Simethis mattiazzi a Mediterranean-Atlantic spe-
cies (Gianguzzi et al. 2012), Chamaeiris foetidissima, Vinca major, and Prunus mahaleb,
were recorded in the upper part of Mt. San Giuliano, where they take advantage of the
humidity due to moisture condensation and frequent fogs rising from the sea.
Sampled plant communities
e rst stopover was in the town of Erice, where it was possible to observe Silene nefel-
ites, an endemic therophyte widespread along the roadside, as well as the chasmophytic
vegetation colonizing the walls of the Castle of Venus and the nearby carbonate rocky
outcrops. is chasmophytic community is referred to the Sicilian-Tyrrhenian associa-
tion of the Dianthion rupicolae, Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae subass. brassiceto-
sum drepanensis (see Brullo et al. 2004), a relevé of which is reported below.
Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae subass. brassicetosum drepanensis –
Erice (38°02'25"N, 12°35'27"E): 627 m, 80°, N, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Lomelo-
sia cretica 2, Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis 2, Centaurea erycina 1. Characteristics
of alliance, order and class: Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola 1, Silene fruticosa
2. Other species: Athamanta sicula +, Sedum dasyphyllum subsp. glanduliferum +,
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 11
Umbilicus rupestris +, Asplenium ceterach +, Polypodium cambricum 1, Hypochoeris laevi-
gata 1, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +, Hyoseris radiata +, Campanula erinus +,
Sedum caeruleum +, Muscari commutatum +, Veronica cymbalaria +.
e Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae is widespread on the clis of the moun-
tains forming the north-western strip of the coast of Trapani. However, the stands ob-
served in Erice dier from the typical ones for the lack of some endemic species, such
as Iberis semperorens and Seseli bocconei.
Paucispecic, subnitrophilous and sciaphilous wall vegetation, characterized by
hemicryptophytes such as Parietaria judaica and Athamanta sicula is frequent on the
old walls of Erice. It can be referred to Athamanto siculae-Parietarietum, an association
of the alliance Parietarion judaicae, described from Monte Pellegrino (Palermo) by Gi-
anguzzi and Bazan (2020c), which is quite frequent along the coasts of western Sicily.
A relevé, sampled in the town of Erice, is reported below.
Athamanto siculae-Parietarietum judaicae – Erice, north-eastern city walls
(38°02'12"N, 12°35'25"E): 740 m, 90°, E, 8 m². Diagnostic species: Parietaria judaica
3, Atamantha sicula 2, Campanula erinus +. Characteristics of alliance, order and class:
Sedum dasyphyllum subsp. glanduliferum 1, Umbilicus rupestris +, Cymbalaria muralis
+. Other species: Hypochoeris laevigata +, bryophytes (+).
Along the north-eastern side of Erice, near the Torre Pepoli, a path descends all
around the cli on which the Castello di Venere is built (Figs 2, 3b). In this place,
patches of pre-forest vegetation with Laurus nobilis, referred to the association Acantho
mollis-Lauretum nobilis (Gianguzzi et al. 2010), were observed. It is a vegetation linked
to cool and shady places within the Meso-Mediterranean sub-humid bioclimatic belt.
e relevé reported below was sampled on a steep slope, with a clay-limestone matrix,
next to the clis, in an area that is highly exposed to moisture condensation.
Acantho mollis-Lauretum nobilis – Erice, below the clis near Torretta Pepoli
(38°02'08"N, 12°35'29"E): 726 m, 80°, N, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Laurus no-
bilis 4, Hedera helix 3, Acanthus mollis 2, Orobanche hederae +, Cyclamen hederifolium
+. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Rubia peregrina 1, Asparagus acutifolius
1, Rosa sempervirens 2, Ruscus aculeatus 1, Euphorbia characias +, Lonicera etrusca 1,
Chamaeiris foetidissima 2, Clematis vitalba 1, Fraxinus ornus 2, Allium subhirsutum 1.
Other species: Rubus ulmifolius 2, Crataegus monogyna 1, Ficaria verna 1, Arum itali-
cum 1, Smyrnium olusatrum 1, Parietaria judaica + (Gianguzzi et al. 2016a).
Syntaxonomical note – e association Acantho mollis-Lauretum nobilis belongs
to the alliance Asparago acutifolii-Laurion nobilis; it is locally characterized by Ficus
carica, Celtis australis, Asparagus acutifolius, Clematis vitalba, Cyclamen hederifolium,
Ulmus minor, and Orobanche hederae. is association was described by Gianguzzi et
al. (2016a) to dene the micro-woods rich in laurel, widespread in Italy and in the
large central-Mediterranean islands. Compared to the alliance Arbuto unedonis-Lauri-
on nobilis, described for the Iberian Peninsula by Rivas-Martinez et al. (2001, 2002),
framed in the order Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni, the Asparago acutifolii-Laurion nobi-
lis is more mesophilous and, therefore, it can be included in the order Quercetalia ilicis
(Gianguzzi et al. 2016a; Rivieccio et al. 2021).
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
12
Figure 4. Mount San Giuliano: vegetation near Torretta Pepoli (38°02'08"N, 12°35'29"E; 730 m a.s.l.);
in the background the Castle of Venus (Erice) – 1 Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae subass. brassiceto-
sum drepanensis; 2 subnitrophilous and subsciaphilous wall vegetation (Athamanto siculae-Parietarietum
judaicae); 3 Acantho mollis-Lauretum nobilis.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 13
Excursion to Marettimo Island I (24 April 2022): coastal and sub-
coastal stretch of the southern part of the island, between Punta
Bassana and Contrada Chiappera
e island of Marettimo (Fig. 2) – as seen from the hydrofoil arriving from Trapani
(Fig. 3d) – appears as a rather rugged and uneven ridge, with Pizzo Falcone (686 m
a.s.l.) towering on a system of other peaks sloping both northwards [Pizzo delle Fragole
(538 m a.s.l.) and Capo Bianco (470 m a.s.l.)] and southwards [Pizzo del Capraio
(626 m a.s.l.), Punta Campana (629 m a.s.l.), Punta Anzine (493 m a.s.l.) and Pizzo
Nido Falcone (490 m a.s.l.)]. e steep slopes of the island are interrupted by torrential
incisions and by imposing rock walls scattered all along the island’s ridge, as well as in
the localities named Libbano, Bassano, Orru Chiàppara, etc.
e island is characterized by very peculiar plant communities, which host
many taxa of phytogeographic relevance, some of which endemic to the island. is
is explained by its long geographical isolation, positioned at the extreme western
limit of the Egadi archipelago and ca. 35 km from the Sicilian coasts, with isobaths
between -100 and -350. Besides, during the last glacial maximum (20–18.00 years
ago) it remained isolated from Sicily, unlike the other islands of the archipelago,
which were, instead, united with Sicily (Agnesi et al. 1993). erefore, Marettimo
can be considered as a refuge area for numerous taxa missing in Sicily and in the
rest of the archipelago.
On the other hand, some species that are quite frequent in Sicily are missing in
Marettimo, such as Rubus ulmifolius Schott and other shrubs of the class Crataego-
Prunetea, as well as species typical of dry grasslands, such as Stipellula capensis, which
is represented on the island by very few individuals, probably of recent anthropogenic
introduction. From a phytogeographical point of view, it is important to underline the
possible connections with the African coast through a submerged ridge whose depth
never goes below 350 m (Hofrichter 2001). erefore, Marettimo probably acted as a
stepping stone for various North African species that spread into the central part of the
Mediterranean basin since the Messinian salinity crisis.
L – e agro-silvo-pastoral activities that existed until recently on the
island have gradually led to the disappearance or rarefaction of the woodlands that pre-
viously covered its slopes. However, it should be noted that Marettimo, unlike other
Mediterranean territories, does not seem to have suered the devastating impact of
periodical res, with positive consequences on the natural vegetation. Furthermore,
the activity of woodcutters, quite widespread on the island until 60 years ago, has now
disappeared, and agricultural and pastoral activities have been gradually abandoned
during the last decades. In the past, the whole island was exploited for the production
of wood; deforestation and clearing was carried out on a large scale, with timber and
fagots transported downstream using cableways, loaded directly onto boats and sold
as rewood in the nearby coastal town of Trapani. Overall, the interruption of human
activities and the absence of res has brought about a signicant advance in the evolu-
tion of the natural landscape.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
14
e recent land-use change has led to both qualitative and quantitative variations
in oristic and phytocoenotic diversity, through the progressive rarefaction, and some-
times disappearance, of species linked to crop and rural activities, once consisting of
small peach orchards, olive groves and – to a lesser extent – vineyards, or ash groves,
as well as wheat or leguminous crops (Vicia faba L., Cicer arietinum L., etc.). is is
countered by the recent random introduction of allochthonous species, particularly in
the proximity of the village and tourist infrastructure (Gianguzzi et al. 2006).
S – On south-exposed coastal slopes, frequently af-
fected by the sirocco wind, the infra-Mediterranean edapho-xerophilous series of
Periploco-Euphorbio dendroidis sigmetum is recognisable. On cracked rocky slopes
and clastic substrates, within the thermo-Mediterranean Dry bioclimate, especially
on the western and southwestern slopes of the island, the Ruto chalepensis-Oleo sylves-
tris rhamno oleoidis sigmetosum replaces the previously mentioned series. e head of
the series is a maquis referred to the Ruto chalepensis-Oleetum sylvestris subass. rham-
netosum oleoidis (Gianguzzi and Bazan 2020a, 2020b); secondary aspects are repre-
sented by a low shrubland with Euphorbia dendroides and Rhamnus lycioides subsp.
oleoides (Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis), as
well as xerophilous grassland with Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta (Hyparrhenietum
hirto-pubescentis s.l.) and therophytic grasslands of the class Stipo-Trachynietea dis-
tachyae. e thermo-Mediterranean Dry to Subhumid belt is, however, dominated
by the Erico multiorae-Pino halepensis sigmetum, a pine forest series linked to more
or less consolidated talus slopes at the base of the rocky clis. Upwards, within the
Meso-Mediterranean Sub-humid bioclimatic belt, the holm oak series of the Pistacio
lentisci-Querco ilicis / Daphno sericeae-Querco ilicis sigmetum occurs (see further on
in the text for further explanations on the intricate question of the syntaxonomy of
the holm oak woods of Marettimo). Currently, the limited residual patches of these
woodlands are located in impervious stands near Pizzo Campana, as well as between
Mt. Falcone and Pizzo delle Fragole, where the evolutionary processes of recoloniza-
tion are clearly recovering, after the extensive deforestation implemented in the past
(Gianguzzi et al. 2003a, b).
Among the secondary vegetation units, the garrigue with Salvia rosmarinus and
Erica multiora, ascribed to the association Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multio-
rae (Brullo and Marcenò 1983), is dominant throughout the island. It occupies large
areas up to the highest parts of the island, interfering with the dierent vegetation
series present there, with some local oristic variants, depending on particular ecologi-
cal conditions. In fact, in addition to the subassociation typicum, other variants can be
recognised, characterized by Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca and Globularia alypum,
or by ymbra capitata, or by Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus salviifolius. Along the ra-
vines to the north of the village, there are shrublands with Myrtus communis, indicating
a certain edaphic humidity. In the higher stands, a shrubby vegetation characterized by
two rare relict taxa, Daphne sericea and ymelaea tartonraira, occurs. ese two species
are completely missing from the rest of the Sicilian territories. In Marettimo, Salvia
rosmarinus also reaches elevations that are quite unusual in Sicily, where this species is
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 15
limited to small residual sites near the coastline. is is probably due to isolation of
the island even during the last glacial maxima, thus preserving it from climate change-
related plant migrations.
e chasmophilous vegetation of Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae is
also rich in endemic or rare species, as well as the plant communities occurring on the
rocky coasts, represented by the Limonietum tenuiculi, Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum
messerii and Agropyro scirpei-Inuletum crithmoidis.
E – According to literature data (Gianguzzi et al. 2006;
Scuderi 2008; Brullo C. et al. 2009), the vascular ora of Marettimo consists of 499
taxa. ere are eight species endemic to the island, three of which are palaeoendemic
(Oncostema ughii, Bupleurum dianthifolium, ymus richardii subsp. nitidus) and ve
schizoendemic (Allium franciniae, Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. messeriae, Limo-
nium tenuiculum, Prospero hierae and Senecio aegadensis). In addition, another nar-
row-ranging paleoendemic species limited to the islands of Marettimo and Favignana,
Brassica macrocarpa, occurs. Other endemic species with a distribution including the
Sicilian territory are: Hexaphylla rupestris, Bellevalia dubia, Carlina sicula, Euphorbia
papillaris, Plantago afra subsp. zwierleinii, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia, Ranunculus spica-
tus subsp. rupestris, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula, and Seseli bocconei. Some other en-
demics have a wider Tyrrhenian range, such as Crocus longiorus, Daucus carota subsp.
drepanensis, Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola, Iberis semperorens, Glandora rosmarini-
folia, Pimpinella anisoides, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa, Anthemis secundiramea,
etc. e island also hosts species of biogeographical interest, that are either completely
absent or very rare in the rest of Sicily, such as Aristolochia navicularis, Daphne sericea,
Erodium maritimum, Lagurus ovatus subsp. vestitus, Periploca angustifolia, Reichardia
tingitana, Simethis mattiazzi, ymelaea tartonraira, and others.
Sampled plant communities
Moving from the town of Marettimo towards the southern part of the island, there is
a relatively at stretch of coastline, which is very dierent from the rest of the island,
characterised by clis and crags that are rather steep and not always accessible (Fig. 5).
Along this coast, it is possible to observe halophilous and scattered vegetation, repre-
sented towards the sea by the Limonietum tenuiculi, widespread throughout the island,
both on low coasts and sea-facing clis (Fig. 3f).
Limonietum tenuiculi (After Brullo and Marcenò 1983: tab. 1, rels 1–13) – Di-
agnostic species: Limonium tenuiculum V, Senecio aegadensis IV, Characteristics of al-
liance, order and class: Crithmum maritimum V, Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis V,
Lotus cytisoides V, Silene sedoides V, Reichardia picroides var. maritima V, Plantago mac-
rorhiza III, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula III, Frankenia hirsuta III. Other species:
Catapodium pauciorum IV, Anthemis secundiramea IV, Hyoseris radiata III, Parapholis
incurva II, Limbarda crithmoides subsp. longifolia II, Euphorbia segetalis II, Bellis annua
II, Ranunculus paludosus II, Sagina maritima II, Hornungia procumbens II, Plantago
coronopus I, Trifolium scabrum I, Arthrocaulon meridionale I.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
16
Figure 5. Vegetation along the slopes of Marettimo (southern cape) between Punta Bassana and Pizzo
Spirone (37°56'52"N, 12°05'25"E; 53 m a.s.l.) – 1 Limonietum tenuiculi; 2 Senecioni bicoloris-Helichryse-
tum messerii; 3 Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum dendroidis; 4 Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multi-
orae var. typicum; 5 Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis; 6 Oleo sylvestris-Pistacietum lentisci; 7 Bupleuro
dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 17
Along the landward gradient, the Limonietum tenuiculi is replaced by Senecioni
bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii is found next, characterized by the silvery cushions of
the dominant species. is plant community is more frequent along the north-east
facing coast, in the upper part of the coastal clis, forming an ecotone between the
halo-tolerant vegetation and the coastal garrigue or other inland vegetation.
Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii (After Brullo and Marcenò 1983:
tab. 2, rels 1–10) – Marettimo, a little beyond the cemetery: 10 m., 8°, NE, 50 m².
Diagnostic species: Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. messeriae V, Jacobaea maritima
subsp. sicula V, Polycarpon tetraphyllum subsp. alsinifolium V. Characteristics of alli-
ance, order and class: Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis V, Crithmum maritimum V,
Lotus cytisoides V, Reichardia picroides var. maritima IV, Catapodium balearicum IV,
Plantago macrorhiza V, Limonium tenuiculum IV, Anthemis secundiramea IV, Senecio
aegadensis I V, Silene sedoides III, ymelaea hirsuta I. Other species: Dactylis glomerata
subsp. hispanica V, Hyoseris radiata V, Euphorbia segetalis IV, Catapodium balearicum
IV, Trifolium scabrum III, Brachypodium distachyon III, Stachys romana III, Parapholis
incurva II, Erica multiora III, Catapodium rigidum III, Romulea bulbocodium II, Li-
num strictum II, Carlina sicula II, Pallenis spinosa I, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca
I, Euphorbia dendroides I, Limbarda crithmoides subsp. longifolia II, Bellis annua II,
Pistacia lentiscus I.
e southern slopes of Punta Bassana, characterised by clay-limestone substrates,
are rather xeric and strongly aected by dry southerly winds, particularly the sirocco.
ese are colonized by a low scrub dominated by Periploca angustifolia and Euphorbia
dendroides, accompanied by a few other species of the order Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alat-
erni and of the class Quercetea ilicis, as shown in the relevé below.
Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum dendroidis – Punta Bassana (37°57'01"N,
12°04'50"E): 81 m, 30°, S, 40%, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Periploca angustifolia 3,
Euphorbia dendroides 2. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Teucrium fruticans
1, Olea europaea var. sylvestris 1, Clematis cirrhosa +, Ruta chalepensis +. Other species:
Salvia rosmarinus 2, Erica multiora 2, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +, Dactylis
glomerata subsp. hispanica +, Squilla pancration +.
An aspect of degradation of the above-mentioned maquis is represented by a
thinned garrigue, which can be ascribed to the Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multi-
orae (Fig. 8e); a relevé of this vegetation is reported below.
Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. typicum – Ridge of Punta
Bassana (37°57'04"N, 12°04'49"E): 86 m, 30°, SSE, 40%, 40 m². Diagnostic spe-
cies: Salvia rosmarinus 3, Erica multiora 2, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +,
Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Fumana thymifolia 1, Cuscuta epithymum
+, Phagnalon rupestre +. Other species: Pistacia lentiscus 1, Glandora rosmarinifolia +.
Moving along the path that leads from Punta Bassana towards Carcaredda (180 m
a.s.l.) and proceeding along the base of Pizzo Spirone (333 m a.s.l.) towards Contrada
Chiappera, it is possible to observe some Pinus halepensis woods. is forest vegetation
grows on rather steep slopes, essentially consisting of partially consolidated, frequently
eroded, carbonatic screes. It develops mainly within the thermo-Mediterranean dry
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
18
to subhumid bioclimatic belt and falls within the series of Erico multiorae-Pineto ha-
lepensis sigmetum, whose more mature aspect is represented by Erico multiorae-Pine-
tum halepensis, an association renamed by Pesaresi et al. (2017), which was previously
attributed by Brullo et al. (2008) to Pistacio lentisci-Pinetum halepensis De Marco et
Caneva 1985. It is a basiphilous pine forest, rich in Pistacia lentiscus in the under-
growth. Small nuclei of this association that survived the deforestation are currently
located in the north-eastern part of the island, encompassing Pigna and Spartivalle
districts. However, most of the vegetation dominated by Pinus halepensis can be traced
back to forest plantations carried out in the 1970s. ese articial forests turned into
mature, self-reproducing naturalised woods, as can be seen along the aforesaid trails.
Indeed, these reforestations show a relatively rapid recovery of P. halepensis, favoured
by the intense dissemination that has gradually brought about its advancement in the
garigues and maquis belonging to the same vegetation series.
Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis (After Scuderi 2002, tab. 11, rels 1–5 sub
Pistacio lentisci-Pinetum halepensis) – Diagnostic species: Pinus halepensis V, Salvia ros-
marinus V. Erica multiora IV, Globularia alypum V, Other species: Pistacia lentiscus IV,
Cistus creticus subsp. creticus IV, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca IV, Arisarum vulgare
IV. Carex hallerana III, Ruta chalepensis I, Daphne gnidium I, Micromeria graeca subsp.
fruticulosa I, Leontodon tuberosus III, Ophrys gr. fusca I, Orchis italica I, Hexaphylla ru-
pestris I, Colchicum cupani I.
S – According to Pesaresi et al. (2017) and Bonari et al.
(2021), the Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis must be arranged in the order Pineta-
lia halepensis of the class Pinetea halepensis. It includes the vegetation dominated by
Pinus halepensis of several localities of the Italian territory, such as Pantelleria (Brullo
et al. 1977; Gianguzzi 1999a, 1999b), south-eastern Sicily (Bartolo et al. 1978, 1985),
Apulia (De Marco et al. 1985), and Sardinia at Porto Pino (De Marco et al. 1985).
e class-level classication of Mediterranean pine forests is still a matter of debate.
An ocial proposal for the addition of the class Pinetea halepensis Bonari et Chytrý in
Bonari et al. (2021) to the syntaxonomic scheme of the EuroVegChecklist (from now
on EVC) (Mucina et al. 2016) was ocially advanced in 2021.
Among the main reasons why the authors of the proposal consider it appropriate
to place Mediterranean pine forests in a dierent class from Quercetea ilicis is that there
would be a better match in remote sensing of vegetation and land-cover classications
leading to a better correspondence with the broadly used systems of habitats or forest
types, which usually, in the rst place distinguish between broadleaved and coniferous
forests. is proposal was critically evaluated by a panel of experts selected by the Euro-
pean Vegetation Classication Committee who have highlighted some critical issues in
the research paper (Bonari et al. 2021) where the new class Pinetea halepensis was pro-
posed. Among the weak points, which according to the Commission require further
study and a broader discussion within the EVC, we mention the following: i) the lack
of true diagnostic species in the new class that are not already classied as characteristic
species of other classes or orders, especially Quercetea ilicis and Pistacio-Rhamnetalia
alaterni; ii) the inclusion in the statistical analysis of both natural pine forests and
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 19
putative old anthropogenic pine plantations, which would, at least partially, contra-
vene the very concept of “plant community” composed of species ecologically coher-
ent with the site where they live and distributed in the arrangement they themselves
established; iii) a too broad tree layer coverage range (>15%) which in fact would lead
to include dierent macro-vegetation types, such as forests, shrublands and (wooded)
grasslands and garrigues in the same syntaxonomic class; iv) a lack of homogeneity
with the current EVC framework where there are already other alliances and orders re-
lated to conifer forests that are currently classied within classes dominated by broad-
leaved tree species (evergreen or deciduous). e nal decision on this proposal via a
vote will take place during 2023. To date, both Biondi et al. (2014) and Mucina et al.
(2016) classify the Pinus halepensis forests characterized by a rich Pistacio-Rhamnetalia
evergreen sclerophyllous understorey in the order Pinetalia halepensis and in the class
Quercetea ilicis, due to the occurrence of several sclerophyllous shrubs of this class in
the undergrowth of pine forests. Given the almost total absence on Marettimo of spe-
cies of the class Crataego-Prunetea – as well as of Cytisus infestus, often dominant in the
Sicilian coasts – the pine forest edge is formed by garrigues of Micromerio fruticulosae-
Ericetum multiorae, which are represented not only in their typical aspect, but also in
the variants with ymbra capitata, Cistus monspeliensis and Ampelodesmos mauritanicus
framed in the alliance Polygalo preslii-Ericion multiorae (class Ononido-Rosmarinetea).
In addition to the typical stands (with Globularia alypum and Coronilla valentina sub-
sp. glauca), linked precisely to the Pinus halepensis vegetation series – a relevé of which
is reported below – a number of other variants occur on the island, in particular those
with ymbra capitata, Cistus monspeliensis, and Ampelodesmos mauritanicus.
Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. typicum – Marettimo, Con-
trada Carcaredda (37°57'14"N, 12°04'34"E): 189 m, 25°, SSE, 80 m². Diagnostic
species: Salvia rosmarinus 4, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa 1, Erica multiora +,
Globularia alypum 1, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca +. Characteristics of alliance,
order and class: Ononis minutissima +, Cistus monspeliensis 1, Phagnalon saxatile +, Cis-
tus creticus subsp. creticus +. Other species: Pistacia lentiscus 2, Hyparrhenia hirta subsp.
hirta 2, Brachypodum retusum 2, Avena barbata 2, Scorpiurus subvillosus 1, Ruta cha-
lepensis +, Euphorbia dendroides +, Catapodium rigidum +, Carex hallerana +, Coronilla
scorpioides +, Trachynia distachya +, Leontodon tuberosum +, Linum strictum +, Arisarum
vulgare +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Melica minuta +, Lysimachia loeingii +, Allium
ampeloprasum r, Gladiolus byzantinus r.
Another forest edge vegetation related to the P. halepensis series is represented by
a low scrub of oleaster and Pistacia lentiscus, of which two relevés are reported below.
Oleo sylvestris-Pistacietum lentisci s.l. – Marettimo, Contrada Chiappera
(37°57'33"N, 12°04'24"E): 220 m, 15°, E, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Pistacia
lentiscus 4, Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Euphorbia dendroides 2, Daphne
gnidium +, Ruta chalepensis +, Arisarum vulgare 1, Stachys major +, Rubia peregrina
+, Carex hallerana +, Other species: Erica multiora 3, Cistus creticus subsp. creticus
2, Melica minuta 2, Coronilla valentina 1, Cistus monspeliensis 1, Allium subhirsutum
1, Salvia rosmarinus +, Phagnalon saxatile +, Ferula communis +, Daucus carota +,
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
20
Sonchus tenerrimus +, Jacobaeamaritima subsp. sicula +, Poterium sanguisorba subsp.
balearicum +, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus +, Lysimachia arvensis r, Dactylis glomerata
subsp. hispanica r, Centranthus calcitrapae r, Anemone hortenis r, Ononis mitissima r.
Oleo sylvestris-Pistacietum lentisci s.l. – Marettimo, near the cemetery
(37°57'32"N, 12°04'40"E): 52 m, 50°, NE, 40 m². Diagnostic species: Pistacia lentiscus
5, Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Euphorbia dendroides 1, Ruta chalepensis
1, Arisarum vulgare +, Rubia peregrina 1. Other species: Erica multiora +, Coronilla
valentina 2, Ferula communis +, Sonchus tenerrimus +, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula
1, Magydaris pastinacea 2, Clinopodium nepeta +, Brachypodium retusum +, Reichardia
picroides +, Phagnalon saxatile +, Sonchus bulbosus +, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica
+, Galactites tomentosus +, Galium murale +, Cynoglossum creticum +, Melica minuta +.
S – e maquis with P. lentiscus is quite widespread in the
Mediterranean region, where various associations are reported, such as Oleo-Pistacie-
tum lentisci Molinier 1954, Cneoro-Pistacietum lentisci O. Bolos et R. Molinier (1969)
1984, and Myrto-Pistacietum lentisci (Molinier 1954 em. O. Bolos 1962) Rivas-Mar-
tinez 1975, the latter occurring also on Marettimo.
Excursion to Marettimo II (25 April 2022): Case Romane, Mt. Fal-
cone and north-eastern coastal stretch
Above the village of Marettimo, along the initial part of a paved track leading to the lo-
cality named Case Romane, there are compact limestone outcrops colonized by a sparse
garrigue dominated by ymbra capitata. is vegetation can be considered a variant
of the Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae, a relevé of which is reported below.
Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. with ymbra capitata
– Slightly above the Marettimo village (37°58'04"N, 12°04'14"E): 47 m, 25°, NE,
85m². Diagnostic species: ymbra capitata 4, Erica multiora 1, Salvia rosmarinus
+, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +. Characteristics of alliance, order and class:
Globularia alypum 1, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca +, Phagnalon saxatile +. Other
species: Pistacia lentiscus 2, Stachys major 1, Arisarum vulgare 1, Bituminaria bituminosa
1, Carlina sicula 1, Brachypodium distachyon 1, Euphorbia dendroides +, Jacobaea mar-
itima subsp. sicula +, Lonicera implexa +, Ruta chalepensis +, Leontodon tuberosum +,
Anemone hortensis +, Fedia graciliora +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Linum strictum +,
Linum usitatissimum subsp. angustifolium +, Rubia peregrina +, Euphorbia peplis +, Va-
lerianella dentata +, Macrobriza maxima +, Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. maura +, Reich-
ardia picroides +, Lysimachia arvensis +, Daphne gnidium +, Olea europaea var. sylvestris
pl. +, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus +, Poterium sanguisorba subsp. balearicum +, Ferula
communis +, Orchis italica +, Pallenis spinosa +.
Up to Case Romane (37°58'13"N, 12°03'51"E), an archaeological site where the
main freshwater spring of the island gushes out, the vegetation can be referred to the
P. halepensis forest series described in the previous itinerary. Further up, at 450–500 m
a.s.l., whitin the Meso-Mediterranean sub-humid bioclimatic belt, the holm oak series
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 21
(Pistacio lentisci-Querco ilicis sigmetum) develops on carbonatic soils. e head of the
series is represented by residual nuclei of holm oak woods (Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum
ilicis), remnants of the intense deforestation that occurred in the past (Fig. 8d). ese
small forest patches, occurring also at Pianoro della Craparizza, Pizzo delle Fragole
and between the localities Stincazzi and Scaturro, represent relict aps of the primary
forest, exploited in the past (up to the 1960s) for charcoal production. One of these
nuclei was observed along the path, on the slope to the east of Pizzo Campana. It can
be ascribed to the subassociation arbutetosum unedonis – one of the two recorded from
the island – a relevé of which is reported below.
Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis subass. arbutetosum unedonis – Below Pizzo
Campana (37°58'20"N, 12°03'30"E): 455 m, 25°, NE, 100 m². Diagnostic species:
Quercus ilex 4, Pistacia lentiscus 1, Arbutus unedo 1. Characteristics of alliance, order
and class: Dapne gnidium 1, Carex hallerana 1, Cyclamen repandum +, Ruta chalepensis
+, Rubia peregrina +. Other species: Erica multiora 4, Salvia rosmarinus 1, Micromeria
graeca subsp. fruticulosa +, Cistus creticus subsp. creticus 1, Jacobaea maritima subsp.
sicula +, Selaginella denticulata +, Hypochoeris laevigata +.
Aspects of holm oak woods with Arbutus unedo referred to the above-mentioned
subassociation are also sporadically recorded in Sicily on leached carbonatic soils, as in
the case of the cacuminal part of Monte Cofano (Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008). On
Marettimo, these holm oak woods are fringed by scrubland dominated by P. lentiscus,
through degradation replaced by the Cistus salviifolius variant of the garrigue Microme-
rio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae. A relevé of this garrigue, widespread over large
areas in the upper part of Marettimo, is reported below.
Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. with Cistus salviifolius –
Below Pizzo Campana (37°58'33"N, 12°03'26"E): 480 m, 20°, NE, 85 m². Diagnostic
species: Cistus salviifolius 3, Erica multiora 3, Salvia rosmarinus 4, Micromeria graeca
subsp. fruticulosa +. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Globularia alypum 1,
Cistus creticus subsp. creticus 1, Fumana thymifolia +. Other species: Pistacia lentiscus 1,
Arisarum vulgare +, Trachynia distachya 1, Brachypodium retusum 1, Allium franciniae
+, Carex halleriana +, Valantia muralis +, Leontodon tuberosum +, Anemone hortensis +,
Fedia graciliora +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Colchicum bivonae +.
is garrigue is often compenetrated with a hemicryptophic vegetation dominated
by Brachypodium retusum, particularly on steep stony slopes, that are covered by a veg-
etation similar to the one described as Brachypodio ramosi-Cistetum cretici from the Mt.
Cofano area (Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008; Gianguzzi et al. 2015).
In higher stands, near Pizzo Falcone, there is a holm-oak wood dierentiated by the
occurrence of Daphne sericea, a small shrub that is completely absent in Sicily, having on
Marettimo the western limit of its range (Di Pietro 2001). is vegetation was described
by Brullo and Marcenò (1983) as Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis and considered the
potential forest vegetation in the upper part of the island, which is linked to a regular
moisture condensation regime, testied by frequent fogs. A relevé is reported below.
Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis – Pizzo Falcone (37°58'41"N, 12°03'18"E): 544
m, 25°, N, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Quercus ilex 3, Daphne sericea 1. Characteristics
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
22
of alliance, order and class: Pistacia lentiscus 1, Daphne gnidium +, Carex hallerana 1,
Cyclamen repandum 1. Other species: Erica multiora 2, Salvia rosmarinus 1, Cistus
creticus subsp. creticus 1, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula +, Anemone hortensis +.
Syntaxonomic notes – e syntaxonomic arrangement of the holm oak woodlands
of the island of Marettimo represents a still unresolved problem from a nomenclatural
point of view. Brullo and Marcenò (1983) validly described the association Daphno
sericeae-Quercetum ilicis, typical of the highest areas of Marettimo, where Quercus ilex
took advantage of the frequent occurrence of fog and westerly humid winds. Two years
later, the same authors in their fundamental work on the class Quercetea ilicis in Sicily
(Brullo and Marcenò 1985b), described for western and southern Sicily a new thermo-
philous association of holm oak wood named Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis. In this
paper, the authors included the Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis that they had previ-
ously described for Marettimo in the ecological range of Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ili-
cis, considering the latter association as a simple variant of the newly described Pistacio
lentisci-Quercetum ilicis. In nomenclatural terms however, this kind of downgrading is
not allowed by the code of phytosociological nomenclature (ICPN, eurillat et al.
2020). In fact, the name Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1983 has
nomenclatural priority over Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1985 as
it was published two years earlier (principle IV of ICPN).
Clearly, the peculiar distribution range of Daphne sericea does not support the use
of the name Daphno-Quercetum ilicis to represent the holm-oak woods of the whole of
Sicily. In fact this species occurs on Marettimo but is missing in the rest of Sicily and in
most of southern Italy. It then reappears further north along the Tyrrhenian coast from
northern Campania to southern Tuscany as well as in Puglia (Gargano) and inland
areas of Abruzzo and (sporadically) Molise. However, since the authors of these associa-
tions clearly stated that these two communities represent, in fact, dierent aspects of
the same association, the name Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis automatically becomes
the type of the earliest legitimate name (Art. 29c) that in this case is Daphno sericeae-
Quercetum ilicis. For this reason, the name Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis should be
considered superuous (Art. 18b). Brullo et al. (2008) tried to resolve the issue by
describing the new subassociation Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis subass. daphnetosum
sericeae exclusively for the island of Marettimo. However, also in this case, since the
authors chose, as nomenclatural type of the new subassociation daphneetosum sericeae,
the same relevé (rel. 2 of tab. 6) already used by Brullo and Marcenò (1983) to typify
the Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis, there is once again a reunion of syntaxa at the
same rank (Pistacio-Quercetum vs. Daphno-Quercetum), with nomenclatural priority for
Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis for the above reasons. e possible solutions to this
question are essentially two. e rst leads to consider the Daphno-Quercetum ilicis as
restricted solely to Marettimo by virtue of the particular bioclimatic and biogeographic
conditions that characterize this island and to separate it from the Pistacio-Quercetum
ilicis, which is widespread in the whole of Sicily and probably in other areas of southern
Italy. e second solution is to refer to Art. 52 of the 4th edition of the ICPN and to
propose to the Committee for Change and Conservation of Names (CCCN) the adop-
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 23
tion of Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis as nomen conservandum over its earlier hetero-
typic name (syntaxonomic synonym) Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis. While waiting
for this proposal to be ocially advanced and for the whole process of acceptance to
be completed, the only possible syntaxonomic reference for this paper, in agreement
with the ICPN, is the name Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1984.
e summit of Pizzo Falcone (Fig. 6), sloping steeply towards the coast, dominates
the whole island. e imposing clis on the northern side host a luxuriant rupicolous
vegetation, which is also well represented elsewhere on the island (Pizzo del Capraro,
Pizzo Lisandro, as well as the areas of Libbano, Bassano, Orru Chiàppara, etc.). ese
clis, especially those facing north and north-east, are rich in endemites and species of
relevant taxonomic and phytogeographic value. e chasmophytic vegetation of Ma-
rettimo was referred by Brullo and Marcenò (1979) to the Bupleuro-Scabosetum limoni-
foliae, association framed into the alliance Dianthion rupicolae (Asplenietalia glandulosi,
Asplenietea trichomanis).
Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae (After Brullo and Marcenò
1983: tab. 7, rels 1–16) – Diagnostic species: Bupleurum dianthifolium V, Helichrysum
panormitanum subsp. messeriae V, Oncostema ughii V, ymus richardii subsp. nitidus
II. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Seseli bocconei V, Iberis semperorens V,
Hexaphylla rupestris V, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia IV, Glandora rosmarinifolia IV, Di-
anthus rupicola subsp. rupicola IV, Brassica macrocarpa II, Melica minuta II, Parietaria
lusitanica II, Atamantha sicula I. Hypochoeris laevigata IV, Polypodium cambricum II,
Asplenium ceterach II, Sedum dasyphyllum s.l. II, Umbilicus rupestris I, Ranunculus spica-
tus subsp. rupestris I. Other species: Erica multiora V, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula
VI, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa IV, Salvia rosmarinus III, Lonicera implexa II,
Euphorbia dendroides II, Allium subhirsutum II, Hyoseris radiata I, Valantia muralis I,
Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus I, Carex halleriana I, Selaginella denticulata I, Pista-
cia lentiscus I, Petrosedum sediforme I, Lagurus ovatus subsp. vestitus I, Quercus ilex I,
Daphne sericea I, Lobularia maritima I, Galium corrudifolium I.
Just below the summit of Pizzo Falcone (Fig. 8c), a branch of the main downhill
path (37°58'41"N, 12° 03'17"E; 543 m) leads to Punta Troia (Fig. 8a). Here there are
dense garrigues referable to Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae, sometimes
mixed with Brachypodium retusum grassland, dierentiated by the occurrence of Cor-
onilla valentina subsp. glauca, belonging to the Coronillo glaucae-Brachypodietum retusi
(Brullo et al. 2010).
Coronillo glaucae-Brachypodietum retusi (After Brullo et al. 2010: tab. 15, rels
1–2) – Diagnostic species: Coronilla valentina subsp. Glauca 2, Brachypodium retusum 2.
Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Ferula communis 2, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus
1, Hyoseris radiata 1, Phagnalon saxatile 1, Hyparrthenia hirta subsp. hirta 1, Dactylis glom-
erata subsp. hispanica 2, Carlina sicula 1. Other species: Avena barbata 1, Ruta chalepensis
1, Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus 2, Micromeria fruticulosa 2, Arisarum vulgare 2.
ese are secondary vegetation units pertaining to the holm oak series (Pistacio-
Querco ilicis sigmetum), as well as lower down to the Pinus halepensis series (Erico mul-
tiorae-Pino halepensis sigmetum). While proceeding towards Contrada Rumurale, the
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
24
Figure 6. Marettimo Island: vegetation near the top of Monte Falcone (37°58'51"N, 12°03'06"E;
632 m a.s.l.) – 1 Euphorbia dendroides community; 2 Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae;
3 Hedera helix community; 4 Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis subass. arbutetosum unedonis; 5 Micromerio
fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. with Cistus salviifolius.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 25
path crosses the valley of the Ficarello stream, overlooked by the rocky walls of Pizzo
Falcone. is scenic route leads along the ridges of Pizzo Madonnuzza and descends to
Contrada Libbano, where it is possible to observe very interesting stands of chasmo-
phytic vegetation, belonging to Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae, notably
rich in endemic species, such as Bupleurum dianthifolium, Oncostema ughii (Fig. 8b),
ymus reichardii subsp. nitidus, Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. messeriae, Brassica
macrocarpa, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia, Hexaphylla rupestris, Seseli bocconei, Dianthus
rupicola, Iberis semperorens, and Glandora rosmarinifolia among others.
Along the coast, the route returning to the town crosses a maquis dominated by
Euphorbia dendroides, that can be referred to Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis
subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis (Fig. 7). A relevé of this vegetation is reported below.
Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis –
Along the northeastern coast of Marettimo (37°58'23"N, 12°04'06"E): 27 m a.s.l.,
slope 18° NE, 40%, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Euphorbia dendroides 4, Olea europaea
var. sylvestris 1, Rhamnus lycioides subsp. Oleoides 1. Characteristics of alliance, order
and class: Pistacia lentiscus 3, Lonicera implexa 1, Ruta chalepensis 1, Stachys major +,
Arisarum vulgare +. Other species: Erica multiora 2, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus 2,
Allium subhirsutum 2, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula 2, Micromeria graeca subsp. fru-
ticulosa +, Phagnalon saxatile +, Leontodon tuberosus +, Clinopodium nepeta +, Dactylis
glomerata subsp. hispanica +, Squilla pancration +.
Towards the sea, within halo-subhalophilous associations, such as Limonietum ten-
uiculi and Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii, an interesting ephemeral vegeta-
tion dominated by Moraea sisyrinchium was in full bloom at the time of our visit. Based
on the relevés carried out in these stands (Table 4), it is to be referred to a new asso-
ciation, proposed as Catapodio pauciori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii Gianguzzi, Di Pietro,
Fortini, Guarino, Mei, Rosati, Spampinato, Stinca ass. nov. hoc loco (holotypus: Table
3, rel. 6, hoc loco), which belongs to the Plantagini-Catapodium balearici, an alliance
of the class Stipo-Trachynetea distachyae. is coastal association, usually linked to out-
crops of carbonate rock with shallow red soils, can be considered a geographic vicariant
of the Anthemido-Desmazerietum siculae Brullo 1985, from north-western Sicily, and
of the Anthemido-Allietum lehmannii Brullo et Scelsi 1998 from southern Sicily.
Catapodio pauciori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii Gianguzzi, Di Pietro, Fortini, Gua-
rino, Mei, Rosati, Spampinato, Stinca ass. nov. hoc loco (holosyntypus: Table 3, rel. 6,
here designated).
S – Class: Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae, order: Stipo-
Bupleuretalia semicompositi, alliance: Plantagini-Catapodion balearici.
D – Moraea sisyrinchium (dom.), Catapodium pauciorum, Hy-
oseris baetica, Prospero hierae.
S – ermophilous coastal vegetation with an early spring
optimum, physiognomically dominated by Moraea sisyrinchium, growing together
with various ephemeral herbaceous plants such as Anthemis secundiramea, Plantago
coronopus, Catapodium pauciorum, Bellis annua, Silene colorata, Hedypnois rhagadio-
loides, Medicago truncatula, Hypochoeris achyrophorus, Filago pygmaea, Plantago lagopus,
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
26
Figure 7. Marettimo Island: vegetation along the north-eastern coast, next to Case Martorana
(37°58'22"N, 12°03'07"E; 21 m a.s.l.). – 1 Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis; 2 Coronillo glaucae-
Brachypodietum retusi; 3 Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae var. typicum; 4 Rhamno alaterni-
Euphorbietum dendroidis subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis; 5 Catapodio pauciori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass.
nova; 6 Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii; 7 Limonietum tenuiculi.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 27
Stachys romana, Trifolium scabrum, Valantia muralis. It develops in the gaps of the
sub-halophilous vegetation Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii and of the coastal
garrigue, on rocky outcrops covered with shallow red soil.
B – Dry thermo-Mediterranean.
D – Marettimo, along the coast.
S – Moraea sisyrinchium is a typical south Mediterranean spe-
cies, widespread from the coastal territory of the Middle East to Spain. In Italy, this
species occurs in southern regions and goes up along the Italian peninsula only on its
western side, i.e., along the Tyrrhenian coasts of Campania, Lazio, and Tuscany. From
a phytosociological point of view, Biondi et al. (2001) considered Moraea sisyrinchium
a diagnostic species of the order Brachypodio-Dactyletalia hispanicae occurring as co-
dominant species in the Anthyllido vulnerariae-Kundmannietum siculae and in the Loto
cytisoidis-Dactylidetum hispanicae subass. iridetosum sisyrinchi, described from northern
Sardinia. e latter exhibits a certain ecological similarity to our Catapodio pauciorae-
Moraeetum sisyrinchii, being both associations typical of marine terraces no longer dom-
inated by halophilous species. However, the Sardinian association exhibits an absolute
dominance of Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica, which is instead extremely sporadic
in the communities of Marettimo. Morea sisyrinchium is also described as co-dominant
species in the Sileno sedoidis-Hymenolobetum revelieri, an association referred to the
ephemeral communities of Saginetea maritimae (Frankenion pulverulentae) occurring
along the Ionian rocky coasts of Puglia on silty-sandy substrates and in spatial contigu-
ity with Crithmo-Limonietea communities (Brullo and Giusso del Galdo 2003). e
occurrence of Silene sedoides, Valantia muralis and Parapholis incurva and the physiog-
nomical importance of Plantago coronopus and Morea sisyrinchium (Figs 7 and 8f) high-
light similarities with the association of Marettimo, although the latter exhibits a much
higher oristic richness probably due to a lower occurrence of chloride salts in the soil.
Finally, Moraea sisyrinchium is a highly frequent species in various associations described
in Sicilian coastal areas and is currently included in the alliance Plantagini-Catapodion
balearici (order: Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi; class: Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae).
As regards the phytosociological classication of Moraea sisyrinchium in other Mediter-
ranean countries, it must be pointed out that the association Irido sisyrinchii-Stipetum
capensis Bolós et Molinier 1958 described for the Balearic Islands is the last stage of
degradation of the Mediterranean maquis in coastal south-facing slopes aected by the
moderating inuence of the sea nearby (Bolós and Molinier 1958). In the southern
part of the Iberian Peninsula, Moraea sisyrinchium is a high- frequency species in the
Spergulo fallacis-Plantaginetum ovatae (Dana-Sanchez et al. 1999). ese last two as-
sociations are framed in the alliance Stipion retortae (order: Brachypodietalia distachyi;
class: Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae). However, Moraea sisyrinchium is a high-frequency
species also in the Poo bulbosae-Onobrychidetum eriophorae Rivas Goday, Ladero et C.
Rivas in Rivas Goday et Ladero 1970 and in the Trifolio subterranei-Plantaginetum ser-
rariae Martín et Galán in Galán, Morales et Vicente 2000, both classied in the class
Poetea bulbosae (Rivas-Martinez et al. 2001). In Cyprus, Moraea sisyrinchium occurs
abundantly in the open phrygana dominated by Sarcopoterium spinosum (Rikli 1946).
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
28
Table 3. Catapodio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii (rel 1–6 exiting the village towards Punta Troia; rel
7–10 near the cemetery).
Relevé No. 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
Altitude (m a.s.l.) 12 12 12 10 10 10 5 7 8 10
Slope (%) 10 1 8 8 25 20 5 7 8 10
Aspect N E E E N E N E E E
Area (m2) 4444444343
Total cover (%) 50 85 95 90 90 90 90 95 85 80
Average vegetation height (cm) 9 10 13 10 12 13 10 12 12 12
Char. association
Moraea sisyrinchium 3444444443
Hyoseris baetica + + 1 1 1 + + + + +
Prospero hierae + + +
Char. all. Plantagini-Catapodion balearici
Plantago coronopus + 3 3 2 . 2 + 1 3 +
Catapodium pauciorum 1+++++1+++
Bellis annua . . + + + . . + . +
Char. ord. Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi and cl. Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae
Silene colorata . 1 + 1 + 1 1 1 2 +
Hedypnois rhagadioloides 1 1 . + 1 + + . + +
Medicago truncatula + + . . + 1 2 1 1 3
Anthemis secundiramea . 1 + 3 + + 1 . + .
Hypochoeris achyrophorus 1 . . . + + + 1 . +
Filago pygmaea . . + 1 + 1 . + + +
Trifolium scabrum + + + + + 1 . . . .
Stachys romana + . + + + + . + . .
Plantago lagopus . . + . 2 . 2 2 + 1
Valantia muralis + . + + + + . . . .
Lotus edulis . . . . 1 . + + +
Trisetaria aurea . 2 . + . + . . . .
Convolvolus lineatus . . . . . 3 2 2
Linum strictum +..+......
Linaria reexa ...++.....
Trachynia distachya 2.........
Coronilla scorpioides 1.........
Linum usitatissimum subsp. angustifolium +.........
Asteriscus aquaticus +.........
Rumex bucephalophorus s.l. . . . . . + . . . .
Companions
Triticum neglectum 1 + 1 2 1 2 + 2 1 +
Lotus cytisoides 1 2 1 + 2 2 1 . . 1
Lolium rigidum s.l. . + + 1 + + + 1 . +
Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis . . 1 + 2 + 1 1 1 .
Euphorbia peplus 1 + + + + + . . . .
Reichardia picroides . . 1 + 1 + + . . .
Sonchus tenerrimus . . . + + . + + +
Euphorbia segetalis . . . + + + . . . +
Carlina sicula . . . . + + . . + 1
Anisantha madritensis + . . + + . . . . .
Lobularia maritima . . . + + . + . . .
Cuscuta sp. . . . . . . + + + .
Silene sedoides +.....+...
Parapholis incurva ..++......
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 29
Relevé No. 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
Convolvolus althaeoides . . . . + . . . + .
Salvia clandestina ....+....+
Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica 1... .....
Bituminaria bituminosa +.........
Avena barbata +.........
Leontodon tuberosum +.........
Lysimachia loeingii +.........
Orobanche minor ...+......
Medicago polymorpha ....+.....
Carduus pycnocephalus ....+.....
Carduus argyroa ........+.
Erodium cicutarium .........+
erefore, a wide range of possible interpretations for the classication of the Catapo-
dio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii is available (see synoptic Table 4). On the other hand,
this community represents a peculiar syntaxonomic issue, since, as far as we know, associa-
tions with absolute dominance of Moraea sisyrinchium have not been described to date.
In our opinion, the syntaxonomic classication of Catapodio pauciorae-Moraeetum
sisyrinchii at the class rank cannot ignore the life form spectrum of all the species that
compose this association (Table 3). erophytes prevail based on simple presence and
frequency, whereas perennial species are dominant in the spectrum based on cover values.
Obviously, Moraea sisyrinchium plays a major role in determining the largely prevailing
perennial life form based on cover values. However, this dominance would be maintained
(albeit only slightly) even if Moraea sisyrinchium had a cover-abundance index of “1” (in-
stead of “3” or “4”) testifying a non secondary role of perennial species in the community.
Accordingly, the most plausible syntaxonomic solution would be to consider the Cata-
podio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii as putatively assignable to a class characterized by
perennial communities. Having this in mind and following the EuroVegChecklist (EVC)
framework (Mucina et al. 2016), we should classify this association in the class Lygeo sparti-
Stipetea tenacissimae Rivas-Mart. 1978, in the order Cymbopogoni-Brachypodietalia ramosi
Horvatic 1963 and in the alliance Reichardio maritimae-Dactylidion hispanicae Biondi et
al. 2001. e latter alliance is indeed dened as including thermo-Mediterranean subh-
alophilous perennial grasslands in wind-swept habitats on calcareous soils of the Tyrrhe-
nian and Ionian seas. is classication shares the one proposed by Biondi et al. (2001)
for northern Sardinia where this alliance was included in the Brachypodio-Dactylidetalia
hispanicae (syn. of Cymbopogoni-Brachypodietalia in EVC) but in the class Artemisietea
vulgaris. However, the latter classication, especially if considered at the order and class
ranks, would seem more appropriate for perennial communities (or mixed annual-per-
ennial communities) dominated by cespitose hemicryptophytes (e.g., Hyparrhenia hirta
subsp. hirta, Brachypodium retusum, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica). is does not
appear to be the case in Marettimo. On the other hand, the classication in the Poetea
bulbosae does not seem plausible, at least at the biogeographic level, as this class is centered
in the Iberian Peninsula. Moreover, the previously mentioned Spanish communities cur-
rently ascribed to this class are not limited to coastal districts but are widespread also in
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
30
Table 4. Simplied synoptic table of plant communities with high frequency of Moraea sisyrinchi-
um from the Mediterranean region (species occurring in less than three columns are omitted, unless
characteristic of the association). Cl. Stipo-Trachynietea [ord. Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi,
all. Plantagini-Catapodium marini (1–8) and. Onobrychido-Ptilostemion stellati Brullo, Scelsi et
Spampinato 2001 (9–10)]: 1) Catapodio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova (Table 3, hoc loco);
2) Anthemido secundirameae-Desmazerietum siculae Brullo 1985 (after Barbagallo et al. 1979 – Sicily:
Mount Cofano, sub aggr. a A. secundiramea and Desmazeria sicula); 3) Antemido secundirameae-Allietum
lehmannii Brullo et Scelsi 1996 (after Brullo and Scelsi 1996, tab. 5, – Sicily: Vendicari and Sampieri);
4) Onobrychido-Psiluretum incurvi Brullo et Scelsi 1996 (after Brullo and Scelsi 1996, tab. 6 – Sic-
ily: Vittoria, Nipitella and Castelluccio); 5) Filagini-Daucetum lopadusani Bartolo, Brullo, Minissale et
Spampinato, 1988 (after Bartolo et al. 1988, tab. 20 – Sicily: Lampedusa Island); 6) Allietum lojaconoi
Brullo 1985 (after Brullo 1985, tab. 9, Malta and Gozo); 7) Allietum lojaconoi Brullo 1985 subass.
typicum, subass. anthemidetosum urvilleanae and subass. linetosum tryginum Brullo et al. 2020 (after
Brullo et al. 2020, tab. 14.4 – Malta and Gozo); 8) Silenetum melitensis Brullo, Brullo, Cambria et
Giusso del Galdo 2020 (after Brullo et al. 2020, tab. 14.1 – Malta, Gozo and Comino); 9) Ptilostemono-
Bupleuretum gracilis Brullo, Scelsi et Spampinato 2001 (after Brullo et al. 2001, tab. 107 – Calabria:
Aspromonte); 10) Parapholido incurvae-Aizoetum hispanicae Brullo, Scelsi et Spampinato 2001 (after
Brullo et al. 2001, tab. 111 – Calabria: Aspromonte). Cl. Stipo-Trachynietea [ord. Trachynetalia
distachiae Rivas-Martínez 1978, all. Trachynion distachyae Rivas-Mart. 1978 (11–12) and Stipion
retortae O. de Bolòs 1957 (13–14)]: 11) Vulpio ligusticae-Trisetarietum aureae Brullo 1975 (after Brullo
et al. 2020, tab. 14.2 – Malta and Gozo); 12) ero-Sedetum coerulei subass. sedetosum caespitosi Brullo
1975 (after Brullo et al. 2020, tab. 14.1, rel. 1–14 – Gozo and Comino); 13) Irido-Stipetum retortae
[after O. Bolòs and Molinier 1958 tab. 11 – Maiorca Island (= Irido sisyrinchii-Stipetum capensis O.
Bolòs et Molinier 1958)]; 14) Spergulo fallacis-Plantaginetum ovatae Dana Sanchez, Rodriguez-Tamayo
et Mota Poveda 1999 (after Dana Sanchez et al. 1999 tab. 11 – Spain: Almeria). Cl. Poetea bulbosae
Rivas Goday et Rivas-Mart. in Rivas-Mart. 1978 (ord. Poetalia bulbosae Rivas Goday et Rivas-Mart.
in Rivas Goday et Ladero 1970, all. Trifolio subterranei-Periballion minutae Rivas Goday 1964): 15)
Poo bulbosae-Trifolietum subterranei subass. plantaginetosum serrariae Sciandrello, D’Agostino. et Minis-
sale 2013 (after Sciandrello et al. 2013, tab. 4, rel. 20–28 – Sicily: Taormina). Cl. Saginetea maritimae
Westho et al. 1962 (ord. Frankenietalia pulverulentae Rivas-Mart. ex Castroviejo et Porta 1976, all.
Frankenion pulverulentae Rivas-Mart. ex Castroviejo et Porta 1976): 16) Sileno sedoidis-Hymenolobe-
tum revelieri Brullo et Giusso 2003 (after Brullo and Giusso 2003, tab. 1 rel.1–9 – Puglia: Taranto, Lido
Gandoli). Cl. Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer et al. in Tx. ex von Rochow1951 (ord. Brachypodio
ramosi-Dactyletalia hispanicae Biondi, Filigheddu et Farris 2001, all. ero-Brachypodion ramosi
Br.-Bl. 1925): 17) Loto cytisoidis-Dactyletum hispanicae subass. dactyletosum hispanicae Biondi, Filighed-
du et Farris 2001 and subass. iridetosum sisyrinchii Biondi, Filigheddu et Farris 2001 (after Biondi et al.
2001, tab. 46 – Sardinia: Nurra); 18) Anthyllido vulnerariae-Kundmannietum siculae Biondi, Filigheddu
et Farris 2001 (after Biondi et al. 2001 tab. 45 – Sardinia: Nurra).
Column number 12345678910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Number of relevés 10 515 620 622 10 814 814 315 10 985
Guide species
Moraea sisyrinchium 100 100 100 100 55 100 100 100 75 71 100 73 66 52 100 100 62 80
Characteristic species of association
Hyoseris lucida subsp. taurina 100 .................
Prospero hierae 30 .................
Desmazeria sicula .100 ................
Daucus carota subsp.
drepanensis
.100 . . 100 .............
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 31
Column number 12345678910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Number of relevés 10 515 620 622 10 814 814 315 10 985
Lonas annua .100 ................
Allium lehmannii .100 100 ...............
Anthemis secundiramea 70 100 100 ...............
Onobrychis caput-galli . . 20 100 ....542 ........
Festuca incurva ...100 .... ........
Loga lojaconoi ....95 .............
Diplotaxis scaposa ....90 .............
Linaria reexa subsp. lubbockii ....75 .............
Allium lojaconoi .... 100 100 ...........
Linum trigynum .... .23 ...........
Silene melitensis .... ..100 ..........
Bupleurum semicompositum ....... 100 7........
Aizoanthemopsis hispanicum .........100 ........
Festuca danthonii subsp.
danthonii
...100 ....25 .100 .......
Trisetaria aurea 30 ....49 23 ...100 27 ......
Sedum caeruleum ...........100 ......
Sedum caespitosum ...........47 ......
Spergularia accida .............100 ....
Plantago ovata .............73 ....
Herniaria cinerea .............73 ....
Spergularia diandra ....5........73 ....
Poa bulbosa .40 ....27 .25 .50 53 . . 100 ...
Plantago serraria .....49 54 .......100 ...
Trifolium subterraneum ..............100 ...
Onobrychis aequidentata ..............100 ...
Hornungia procumbens subsp.
revelierei
...............100 . .
Silene sedoides subsp. sedoides 20 ..............100 . .
Gaudinia fragilis ................75 .
Carex acca subsp.
erythrostachys
................50 80
Pancratium illyricum ................25 20
Crocus minimus ................62 .
Kundmannia sicula .................100
Anthyllis vulneraria .................100
Char. All. Onobrychido-Ptilostemion stellati (*) Plantagini-Catapodion balearicae (°) and Ord. Stipo-Bupleuretalia
semicompositi
Medicago littoralis .80 92 .60 100 91 100 25 92 38 27 33 26 . . 25 .
Anisantha fasciculata subsp.
fasciculata
.80 59 100 60 83 62 50 100 92 ....20 ...
Bellis annua° 50 80 59 . . 49 45 50 . . 25 53 33 .....
Asteriscus aquaticus 10 20 92 100 100 100 49 ....20 19 ....
Lagurus ovatus subsp. vestitus° 100 60 . . 40 49 27 60 ...27 ....62 .
Catapodium balearicum° .100 92 .100 100 100 100 ...100 ...100 . .
Convolvulus lineatus 30 20 ..85 83 59 ...........
Crupina crupinastrum .60 .83 .49 14 .....33 .....
Atractylis cancellata .100 ......88 28 . . 100 32 ....
Romulea variicolor° ......91 100 . . 50 87 ......
Echium parviorum .60 . . 35 .32 ...........
Anthemis secundiramea ......36 100 ...20 ......
Spergularia marina ......14 50 ..........
Filago eriocephala* ........100 14 ........
Ptilostemon stellatus* ........12 49 ........
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
32
Column number 12345678910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Number of relevés 10 515 620 622 10 814 814 315 10 985
Char. Cl. Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae
Brachypodium distachyon 10 100 .49 100 100 75 40 88 71 100 53 100 640 ...
Hypochaeris achyrophorus 60 60 79 66 75 66 49 90 38 .62 27 100 .70 ...
Linum strictum 20 20 53 83 70 66 32 30 100 14 75 40 100 .....
Euphorbia exigua subsp. exigua .40 86 83 85 49 49 .12 14 75 47 100 650 ...
Hedypnois rhagadioloides .100 66 .50 100 62 80 12 .25 27 33 52 20 ...
Catapodium rigidum .80 72 .40 100 41 40 62 14 62 53 100 .40 ...
Stipellula capensis .100 .100 25 83 59 100 12 .100 20 100 46 30 ...
Trifolium scabrum 60 80 53 83 20 100 62 .88 .62 67 . . 70 ...
Valantia muralis 40 100 100 .20 66 36 ...38 40 100 . . 40 . .
Filago pygmaea 70 100 92 .95 49 75 ...75 73 ...10 . .
Hyoseris scabra . . 13 66 55 17 36 .12 .50 47 . . 70 ...
Lotus edulis 40 40 .66 45 .32 .12 .50 .33 .....
Medicago minima .40 ...49 36 .25 .50 40 33 .70 ...
Plantago lagopus 60 ....33 27 ...88 .33 52 20 ...
Anisantha rubens .60 66 66 40 49 14 ......39 ....
Trifolium stellatum .60 .100 49 32 .38 .62 ...80 ...
Stachys romana 60 60 . . 70 .18 .....66 .50 ...
Plantago afra .10 .66 65 .....62 27 66 .....
Medicago monspeliaca ....50 17 23 ...12 47 .19 . . . .
Sedum rubens .60 40 . . 49 18 ... 47 ......
Filago pyramidata .60 ...83 23 .....33 46 ....
Medicago truncatula 80 ....66 32 ....47 ......
Helianthemum salicifolium .80 79 ..........13 100 ...
Arenaria leptoclados subsp.
leptoclados
.....66 18 ...12 47 ......
Silene colorata 90 .....23 ...62 .......
Rumex bucephalophorus s.l. 10 .....18 .........12 .
Ononis ornithopodioides .60 ...49 14 ...........
Sulla spinosissima . . 66 . 5 66 ...........
Char. Cl. Saginetea maritimae
Parapholis incurva 20 100 86 .60 100 87 50 100 85 25 47 100 .....
Plantago coronopus 90 100 100 .100 100 87 100 ...53 70 26 ....
Char. Cl. Artemisietea vulgaris and ord. Brachypodio ramosi-Dactyletalia hispanicae
Reichardia picroides 50 80 . . 75 49 41 .....33 ...100 40
Dactylis glomerata subsp.
hispanica
10 40 . . 49 27 30 ........100 100
Lotus cytisoides 80 60 . . 20 ...........88 100
Convolvulus althaeoides 20 ... .......33 ...38 .
Daucus carota s.l. .... 49 18 .........100 .
Companions
Lysimachia arvensis ...33 25 .18 .25 21 . . 100 26 70 ...
Triticum neglectum 100 ....100 23 ...25 . . 19 60 ...
Centaurium pulchellum subsp.
pulchellum
.80 47 . . 83 .30 12 .........
Scorpiurus muricatus ....25 17 27 ...25 ..6....
Medicago polymorpha 10 ....49 14 ...38 .......
Avena barbata 10 ....33 14 .......50 ...
Lolium rigidum s.l. 80 80 .....40 12 ........
Trigonella sulcata .40 ......62 21 12 .......
Salvia verbenaca ...49 40 .....12 ..6....
Rostraria cristata .... 49 32 ...25 33 ......
Micromeria microphylla .....33 14 ......19 ....
Arisarum vulgare subsp. vulgare ..... ......33 ...12 100
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 33
inland areas. More convincing is the choice of the alliance Plantagini-Catapodion and of
the order Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi. On the other hand, some critical aspects linked
to the heterogeneous coenological pattern of the Stipo-Bupleuretalia and their inclusion in
Stipo-Trachynietea have already been reported by Di Pietro et al. (2021) and in the same
EVC the displacement of the Stipo-Bupleuretalia in the class Saginetea maritimae is sug-
gested. However, in our opinion, the possibility to include the order Stipo-Bupleuretalia
and related alliances in the class Saginetea maritimae deserves to be discussed further. As
a matter of fact, a proper high-rank syntaxon to accommodate the Mediterranean plant
communities dominated by small perennial species in an overall oristic context mainly
characterized by therophytes is still lacking.
Excursion to Levanzo Island (26 April 2022): Levanzo, Baglio Florio,
Cala Calcara, Contrada La Fossa, Pietre Varate.
e island of Levanzo (5.6 k m2) is 12 km away from Trapani and about 4 km from
Favignana. It has a morphological structure dened by faults separating two north-
south trending limestone ridges, culminating respectively in the peaks named Pizzo
del Monaco (278 m a.s.l.) and Pizzo del Corvo (201 m a.s.l.). Between these two peaks
there is a wide depression known as La Fossa (69 m a.s.l.), once extensively cultivated.
e coastline is not easily accessible, except on the north-western and south-eastern
sides. Compared to the island of Marettimo, Levanzo is characterized by much drier
overall environmental conditions. An intense agro-silvo-pastoral land use, performed
until a few decades ago, has led to a general involution of the climactic series, partly
altered by the introduction of allochthonous oristic elements.
L – e landscape, somewhat impoverished in its climactic vegetation, is
largely dominated by open areas covered by low scrub, garrigue and grasslands, some-
times punctuated by small patches of coniferous reforestation.
S – Secondary plant communities related to the Sicil-
ian coastal, basiphilous, infra-thermo-Mediterranean dry series (Ruto chalepensis-Oleo
sylvestris periploco angustifoliae sigmetosum) predominate. To these aspects, some mi-
crosigmeta relating to the rocky coasts and clis can be added.
E – e vascular ora of the island consists of 468 taxa
(Romano et al. 2006). e endemic ora consists of 15 taxa, none of which is exclusive
to the island, such as Euphorbia papillaris, Loga lojaconoi, Limonium bocconei, Limonium
lojaconoi, Limonium ponzoi, Romulea linaresii, Carlina sicula subsp. sicula, Helichrysum
panormitanum subsp. messeriae, Neotinea tridentata, Seseli bocconei, Dianthus rupicola
subsp. rupicola, Iberis semperorens, Matthiola incana subsp. rupestris, Ophrys apulica and
Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula. Other species of phytogeographical interest include some
taxa that are completely missing from Sicily (e.g., Periploca angustifolia and Aristolochia
navicularis), as well as Crocus longiorus, here at the westernmost limit of its distribution
range. Other rare elements, occurring also in the neighbouring Trapani coast (e.g., Rham-
nus lycioides subsp. oleoides, Hypericum pubescens), are present in the ora of Levanzo.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
34
Figure 8. a View of the north-eastern side of Marettimo Island, with Punta Troia in the background
bvegetation with Oncostema ughii, a paleoendemic species exclusively found on Marettimo c north-facing
clis of Pizzo Falcone d residual stands of the pristine holm oak forest (Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis)
on the slopes of Pizzo delle Fragole e the garrigue Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae, widespread
throughout the island f Morea sisyrinchium characterizing the Catapodio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii
ass. nova.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 35
Sampled plant communities
From the village of Levanzo, near the post oce, a path leads towards Cala Fredda
across a synanthropic vegetation characterized by Agave sisalana (Fig. 10a), a remain-
der of ancient plantations locally used for bre production, that nowadays tends to be
recolonised by the local maquis. Later the Baglio Florio is reached, that is a farmhouse
built by the Florio family, overlooking the broad plain known as ‘La Fossa’, once cul-
tivated with vineyards (Fig. 10b). From here an old path descends to the bay of Cala
Calcara, crossing a wintergreen low maquis attributable to the Periploco-Euphorbietum
dendroidis (Fig. 10c). is coenosis (of which two relevés are given below) is widespread
throughout the island, and represents the climatophilous vegetation of the low and
windy coasts of all the islands of the Channel of Sicily, including the Maltese Islands.
Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum dendroidis – Rel. 1, La Fossa, on lime-
stone outcrops (37°59'27"N, 12°20'37"E): 63 m, 2°, S, 100%, 100 m². Diagnostic
species: Pistacia lentiscus 4, Periploca angustifolia 3, Euphorbia dendroides 1. Charac-
teristics of alliance, order and class: Stachys major 2, Olea europaea var. sylvestris 1,
Rubia peregrina +, Rhamnus lycioides subsp. oleoides +. Other species: Oloptum mili-
aceum 1, Ferula communis +, Asphodelus ramosus +, Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta +,
Galactites tomentosus +, Allium subhirsutum +. Lobularia maritima +.
Rel. 2, behind Isola, on limestone outcrops: 170 m, 5°, NNW, 100%, 100 m².
Diagnostic species: Pistacia lentiscus 4, Periploca angustifolia 2, Euphorbia dendroides 3.
Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Phillyrea latifolia 1, Stachys major 3, Aspara-
gus acutifolius 1, Rubia peregrina 1, Rhamnus lycioides subsp. oleoides +, Melica minuta
subsp. latifolia 2, Arisarum vulgare 1. Other species: Erica multiora 2, Gladiolus byzan-
tinus +, Allium subhirsutum +, Magydaris pastinacea +, Squilla pancration +, Brachypo-
dium retusum 1, Asphodelus ramosus 1, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica +, Ammoides
pusilla +, Jacobaea delphiniifolia +, Lotus edulis +, Crepis vesicaria +, Tapsia garganica +.
Due to degradation processes, the maquis is usually replaced by a xero-thermo-
philous grassland attributable to Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis, of which a relevé is
reported below.
Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis – Above Cala Calcara (37°59'46"N,
12°20'43"E): 58 m, 2°, S, 100%, 80 m². Diagnostic species: Hyparrhenia hirta subsp.
hirta 5. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Brachypodium retusum 3, Squilla
pancration 1, Convolvolus altheoides 1, Asphodelus ramosus 1, Ferula communis +, Man-
dragora autumnalis +, Tapsia garganica +, Loncomelos narbonense +, Magydaris pasti-
nacea +, Aristolochia navicularis +. Other species: Smyrnium olusatrum 2, Trachynia
distachya 1, Galactites tomentosus 1, Carlina sicula +, Fedia graciliora +, Avena barbata
+, Tripodion tetraphyllum +, Sonchus bulbosus +, Oxalis pes-caprae +, Urospermum da-
lechampii +, Scorpiurus subvillosus +, Sonchus tenerrimus r, Pistacia lentiscus r, Linum
strictum r, Allium commutatum r.
In these xeric habitats, ephemeral meadows dominated by Stipellula capensis are
quite frequent, mainly in stands with very supercial and eroded soils. A relevé of this
vegetation, belonging to the class Stipo-Trachynetea distachyae, is given below.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
36
Stipelluletum s.l. – Above Cala Calcara (37°59'46"N, 12°20'42"E): 59 m, 2°, S, 95%,
80 m². Diagnostic species: Stipellula capensis 5, Characteristics of alliance, order and class:
Trachynia distachya 1, Trifolium stellatum +, Lotus edulis +, Hypochaeris achyrophorus +,
Tripolium tetraphyllum +, Stachys romana +, Plantago lagopus +, Trifolum cherleri r, Linum
strictum r, Trifolium campestre r. Other species: Avena sterilis 1, Avena barbata 2, Hypar-
rhenia hirta subsp. hirta 1, Plantago afra 1, Galactites tomentosus 1, Medicago polymorpha 1,
Carlina sicula subsp. sicula +, Crepis vesicaria +, Glebionis coronaria +, Erodium cicutarium
+, Scorpiurus subvillosus r, Nigella damascena r, Linum usitatissimum subsp. angustifolium
r, Diplotaxis viminea r, Lotus corniculatus r, Convolvulus althaeoides r, Sonchus tenerrimus r.
After crossing Piana della Fossa, the path leads to the northern part of the island, with
scenic views over Cala Tramontana and Capo Grosso. In the lower part of Pizzo Monaco,
all along the western slope of the island, the Periploco-Euphorbietum dendroidis is well
represented, sometimes mixed with small reforestations of Pinus halepensis and xerophil-
ous grasslands. Along this itinerary (Fig. 2), a trail descends to the famous “Grotta del
Genovese”, which was inhabited between 10,000 and 6,000 B.C. oering wonderfully
preserved paintings and engravings dating back to the Upper Palaeolithic period. Back
on the main trail, along the coastal stretch between Pietre Varate and the urban centre, it
is possible to observe halophytic vegetation attributable to Limonietum bocconei (Fig. 9).
Excursion along the coastline of Mount Cofano (27 April 2022)
Mt. Cofano (659 m a.s.l.) is a coastal promontory with a rugged prole made up
of carbonate rock, rising on the Trapani coastline, between the Cornino and Macari
plains. e area falls within a Site of Community Interest and is also a Regional Nature
Reserve. e area is geologically related to the Monte Sparacio-Monte Cofano and
Monte Speziale-Monte Palatimone units, dating back to the Mesozoic, to which bio-
clastic calcarenites and conglomerates with a prevalent arenitic matrix are marginally
added. It represents one of the most interesting biotopes in the western sector of Sicily,
characterised by the occurrence of many naturalistic-environmental attractions. e
eects of an intense anthropic pressure and wildres have determined a deep degrada-
tion of the climactic series characterising this mountain.
L – e rst archaeological evidence of human presence on Mt. Cofano
dates back to the Upper Palaeolithic, between 14,000 and 12,000 years ago (Tusa
2001, Romano et al. 2021). Deforestation was probably an ongoing activity already
in prehistoric times, leading to the current landscape physiognomy, dominated by sec-
ondary plant communities. is is the case of the low maquis dominated by Chamae-
rops humilis (locally known as ‘giummarra’) and the perennial dry grassland dominated
by Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (locally known as ‘disa’), both of which are typical py-
rophytes, among the best adapted to the res that, nearly every year, burn the slopes
of this mountain, especially in summer (Fig. 10d). Forest rarefaction has led to the
disappearance of some of the woody species recorded in the past, as in the case of
Quercus coccifera, reported from the area by Ponzo (1900) and no longer found.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 37
Figure 9. Levanzo Island: vegetation along the southern coast, near Cala Faraglione (37°59'12"N,
12°19'51"E; 12 m a.s.l.); in the background, Marettimo Island – 1 Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum
dendroidis; 2 Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis; 3 Stipelluletum s.l.; 4 Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum mes-
serii; 5 Limonietum bocconei.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
38
Figure 10. a Agave sisalana and Selenicereus undatus, two exotic species naturalized in the scrub near the
village of Levanzo b view of the vegetation landscape on the island of Levanzo, between Contrada La Fossa
and Pizzo Monaco c Periploco-Euphorbietum dendroidis scrub, on the western slopes of Levanzo d Pistacio
lentisci-Chamaeropetum humilis, along the southwestern slope of Mt. Cofano e Erica sicula, an interesting
paleoendemite exclusive to the clis of Mt. Cofano f view of the south-facing slopes of Mt. Cofano, with
Pistacio lentisci-Chamaeropetum humilis in the foreground.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 39
S – the series of the dwarf palm (Pistacio lentisci-
Chamaeropo humilis sigmetum) develops along the coast of Mt. Cofano, in catenal
contact with the halophytic vegetation of the alliance Crithmo-Limonion. Along the
landward gradient, the series of the holm oak and European ash (Rhamno alaterni-
Querco ilicis pistacieto terebinthi sigmetosum) settles on the talus slopes fringing the
calcareous-dolomitic rocky faces, especially with northern orientation. e Quercus
coccifera series (Chamaeropo humilis-Querco calliprini sigmetum) develops on calcar-
enite substrates. On compact limestone substrates with southern exposure, the dry
infra-thermo-Mediterranean basiphilous series of the wild olive tree (Ruto chalepensis-
Oleo sylvestris euphorbio bivonae sigmetosum) develops. e series of the holm oak with
lentisk (Pistacio lentisci-Querco ilicis sigmetum) is represented on compact limestone in
the highest and coolest part of Mt. Cofano, within the meso-Mediterranean subhumid
bioclimate. Particularly interesting are the microgeosigmeta of the rocky coasts and
clis, rich in endemic species which represented a main interest of this excursion.
E – e vascular ora of Mt. Cofano consists of 651 taxa
(Gianguzzi et al. 2006; Brullo et al. 2016), with 48 endemic taxa, three of which are
exclusive, i.e., Erica sicula subsp. sicula (Fig. 10e), Helichrysum panormitanum subsp.
brulloi, and Limonium cophanense. Other very rare endemic taxa are Hieracium cophan-
ense (recorded also from Mount Passo del Lupo, within the Zingaro Nature Reserve)
and Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia (recorded also from Marettimo Island and along the
north-western promontories of Sicily, up to Palermo). Among the north-western Sicil-
ian endemics, the following were recorded: Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis, Centaurea
panormitana, C. tyrrhena, Limonium bocconei, L. ponzoi, Matthiola incana subsp. rup-
estris, Klasea avescens subsp. mucronata, etc. Several Sicilian endemics are also present,
such as Ranunculus spicatus subsp. rupestris, Seseli bocconei, Convolvulus cneorum var,
cneorum, Eryngium tricuspidatum, Odontites bocconei subsp. bocconei, Neotinea commu-
tata, Ophrys lacaitae, O. lunulata, O. oxyrrhynchos, Senecio squalidus subsp. microglossus
(= S. siculus All.). Other endemics ranging beyond the Sicilian territory include: Orchis
brancifortii, Antirrhinum siculum, Bellevalia dubia, Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola,
D. siculus, Iberis semperorens, etc. Finally, some species of remarkable phytogeographi-
cal interest also occur in Mt. Cofano, such as Glandora rosmarinifolia, Lonas annua,
Rhamnus lycioides subsp. oleoides, Ranunculus baudotii, etc.
Sampled plant communities
e itinerary starts from Contrada Macari (Fig. 2), in the south-eastern part of the Na-
ture Reserve, up to the clis near the Grotta del Crocisso (38°06'43"N, 12°39'54"E),
oering numerous points of historical and natural interest (Fig. 11). Along the rocky
coast, the halophilous vegetation of Limonietum bocconei is widespread.
Limonietum bocconei subass. typicum (After Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008:
tab. 6, rels 1–6) – Diagnostic species: Limonium bocconei V, Characteristics of alliance,
order and class: Crithmum maritimum V, Lotus cytisoides V, Pallenis maritima V, Silene
sedoides V, Plantago macrorhiza IV, Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis IV, Senecio leucan-
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
40
themifolius IV, Reichardia picroides var. maritima IV, Frankenia hirsuta III, Arthrocaulon
meridionale I, Limonium ponzoi I. Other species: Desmazeria sicula IV, Silene vulgaris
IV, Anthemis secundiramea III, Parapholis incurva III, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima
III, Moraea sisyrinchium II, Hyoseris radiata II, Capparis sicula II, Sporobolus virginicus
II, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica I, ymelaea hirsuta I, Brachypodium retusum I,
Romulea columnae I, Petrosedum sediforme I, Catapodium balearicum I, Stachys romana
I, Chamaerops humilis I, Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola I, Spergularia marina I,
Medicago littoralis I.
Another variant of the previous association is found on the imposing detrital
conoids located on the northern slope of Mt. Cofano, characterized by the silvery
cushions of Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. brulloi, a rupicolous species endemic to
this coastal stretch. is vegetation is treated as subass. helichrysetosum brulloi of the
Limonietum bocconei. It colonizes the partially eroded arid escarpments of the seaward
slopes, markedly exposed to the inuence of sea winds.
Limonietum bocconei subass. helichrysetosum brulloi corr. (After Gianguzzi
and La Mantia 2008: tab. 6, rels 7–12) – Diagnostic species: Limonium bocconei V,
Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. Brulloi. Characteristics of alliance, order and class:
Crithmum maritimum V, Lotus cytisoides V, Pallenis maritima V, Plantago macrorhiza
V, Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis V, Reichardia picroides var. maritima V, Frankenia
hirsuta II. Other species: Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica V, Seseli bocconei V Silene
vulgaris V, ymelaea hirsuta IV, Hyoseris radiata IV, Anthemis secundiramea III, Brachy-
podium retusum III, Catapodium balearicum II, Moraea sisyrinchium I, Ampelodesmos
mauritanicus I, Cytisus infestus I, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica I, Romulea colum-
nae III, Asparagus acutifolius III, Petrosedum sediforme II, Catapodium balearicum I,
Stachys romana II, Arthrocaulon meridionale II, Chamaerops humilis I, Dianthus rupicola
subsp. rupicola I, Erica multiora I, Euphorbia segetalis I.
e aforesaid vegetation represents the transitional aspect between the Limonietum
bocconei typicum and the low maquis with Chamaerops humilis (Fig. 7), ascribed to
the Pistacio-Chamaeropetum humilis (Fig. 10f). e latter occurs mainly on calcareous
and calcarenite substrates near the coast. From these primary stands, it tends to climb
along the steep talus slopes fringing the calcareous clis. Here it behaves as a pioneer
vegetation, facilitated by the erosion of the supercial soil layers, as well as by frequent
res, that block competition with other woody species, allowing the dwarf palm to
dominate the landscape. Several other thermophilous elements of the class Quercetea
ilicis make up this coenosis, as shown in the synthetic relevé reported below.
Pistacio lentisci-Chamaeropetum humilis (After Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008:
tab. 10 rels. 1–10) – Diagnostic species: Chamaerops humilis V, Pistacia lentiscus V. Char-
acteristics of alliance, order and class: Asparagus albus V, Teucrium fruticans IV, Euphorbia
dendroides IV, Stachys major IV, Osyris alba III, Rhamnus alaternus III, Olea europaea var.
sylvestris II, Daphne gnidium II, Rubia peregrina II, Cytisus infestus V, Arisarum vulgare V,
Smilax aspera V, Asparagus acutifolius II, Pistacia terebinthus II, Phillyrea latifolia I. Other
species: Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta V, Asphodelus ramosus V, Micromeria graeca subsp.
fruticulosa I V, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica IV, Cachrys libanotis I V, Reichardia pic-
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 41
Figure 11. Vegetation along the north-western coast of Mount Cofano, next to Torre S. Giovanni
(38°06'35"N, 12°39'33"E; 39 m a.s.l.); in the background, Mount San Giuliano and Levanzo Island.
1Limonietum bocconei. 2 Pistacio lentisci-Chamaeropetum humilis; 3 Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesme-
tum mauritanici; 4 Rhamno alaterni-Quercetum ilicis subass. pistacietosum terebinthi; 5 Scabioso creticae-
Centauretum ucriae subass. typicum and subass. ericetosum siculae; 6 Rhamno-Euphorbietum dendroides
subass. euphorbietosum bivonae.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
42
roides IV, Brachypodium retusum III, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus III, Carlina gummifera
III, Lotus citysoides III, Convolvolus cantabrica III, Pallenis spinosa III, ymelaea hirsuta
III, Petrosedum sediforme II, Squilla pancration II, Bituminaria bituminosa II, Pallenis mar-
itima II, Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. maura II, Salvia verbenaca II, Oloptum miliaceum II,
Anethum foeniculum II, Lobularia maritima II, Ambrosinia bassii II, Romulea columnae II,
Lotus tetragonolobus II, Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. brulloi I, Carex acca subsp.
erythrostachys I, Cynodon dactylon I, Daucus carota subsp. hispanicus I, Eryngium camp-
estre I, Biscutella maritima I, Convolvolus altheoides I, Rubus ulmifolius I, Carlina sicula I,
Moraea sisyrinchium I, apsia garganica I, Urospermum picroides I, Kundmannia sicula I.
e clastic slopes developing at the base of the clis of Mt. Cofano, especially near
the rocky outcrops, in relatively cooler and shadier conditions, belong to the holm
oak series with manna ash (Rhamno alaterni-Querco ilicis pistacietosum terebinthi sig-
metum). Frequent res have led to the almost total disappearance of the more evolved
forest aspects of this series, leaving room for secondary aspects and, in particular, for
the perennial grassland dominated by Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, here represented by
the Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesmetum mauritanici.
Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesmetum mauritanici (After Gianguzzi and
La Mantia 2008: tab. 20, rels. 1–8) – Diagnostic species: Ampelodesmos mauritani-
cus V, Klasea avescens subsp. mucronata III, Eryngium tricuspidatum subsp. bocconei
III, Helictochloa cincinnata III, Delphinium emarginatum III, Helminthotheca acu-
leata III, Dianthus siculus II, Gelasia villosa subsp. columnae I, Pimpinella anisoides I.
Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Hyparrhenia hirta s.l. V, Dactylis glomerata
subsp. hispanica V; Asphodelus ramosus V, Andropogon distachyus IV, Convolvolus althe-
oides I V, Bituminaria bituminosa I V, Kundmannia sicula III. Reichardia picroides II,
Hyoseris radiata II, Lathyrus clymenum II, Anethum piperitum, Micromeria graeca II,
Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. maura II, Lobularia maritima II, Convolvolus cantabrica II,
Verbascum sinuatum II, Phagnalon saxatile II, Ferula communis I, apsia garganica
I, Pallenis spinosa I, Scolymus grandiora I, Poterium sanguisorba subsp. balearicum I.
Other species: Chamaerops humili subsp. humilis V, Carlina sicula V, Pistacia lentiscus
IV, Stachys major IV, Brachypodium retusum IV, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa IV,
Cytisus infestus III, Asparagus albus III, Stachys romana III, Urospermum dalechampii
III, Melica minuta III, Macrobriza maxima III, Linum trigynum III, Erica multiora II,
Carlina gummifera II, Hypericum perfoliatum II, Linum strictum II, Daucus carota II,
Fumana thymifolia II, Pistacia terebinthus II, Teucrium fruticans I, Asparagus acutifolius
I, Squilla pancration I, Lotus cytisoides I, Scorpiurus subvillosus I, Hyoseris radiata I.
e most structured seral stage occurring on the slopes near the clis must be re-
ferred to a holm oak wood, in which two deciduous trees, Fraxinus ornus and Pistacia
terebinthus, play an important physiognomic role, as dierential species of the Rhamno
alaterni-Quercetum ilicis pistacietosum terebinthi, a woodland nowadays represented by
small residual patches.
Rhamno alaterni-Quercetum ilicis subass. pistacietosum terebinthi (After Gian-
guzzi and La Mantia 2008: tab. 13, rels. 1–7) – Diagnostic species: Quercus ilex V, Pista-
cia terebinthus V, Fraxinus ornus V, Rhamnus alaternus V, Rhus coriaria II. Characteristics
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 43
Table 5. Syntaxonomic scheme.
CRITHMO-LIMONIETEA Br.-Bl.1947 in Br.-Bl., Roussine et Nègre 1952
CRITHMO-LIMONIETALIA Molinier 1934
C-L Molinier 1934
Limonietum bocconei Barbagallo, Brullo et Guglielmo 1979 subass. typicum
subass. helichrysetosum cophanense Gianguzzi et La Mantia 2008
Limonietum tenuiculi Brullo et Marcenò 1983
P-T Bartolo et Brullo in Bartolo et al. 1992
A - Brullo et De Marco 1989
Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii Brullo et Marcenò 1983
SALICORNIETEA FRUTICOSAE Br.-Bl. et Tx. ex A. Bolòs y Vayreda et O. de Bolòs in A. Bolòs y Vayreda 1950
SARCOCORNIETALIA FRUTICOSAE Br.-Bl.1933
J Br.-Bl. ex Horvatic 1934
Agropyro scirpei-Inuletum crithmoidis Brullo in Brullo et al.1988
ASPLENIETEA TRICHOMANIS (Br.-Bl. in Meier et Br.-Bl. 1934) Oberd. 1977
ASPLENIETALIA GLANDULOSI Br.-Bl. in Meier et Br.-Bl. 1934
D Brullo et Marcenò 1979
Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae Brullo et Marcenò 1979
– subass. typicum Brullo et Marcenò 1979
– subass. ericetosum siculae Brullo et Marcenò 1979
Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae Brullo et Marcenò 1979
CYMBALARIO-PARIETARIETEA JUDAICAE Oberd. 1969
TORTULO-CYMBALARIETALIA Segal 1969
P Segal 1969
Athamanto siculae-Parietarietum judaicae Gianguzzi et Bazan 2020
PINETEA HALEPENSIS Bonari et Chytrý in Bonari et al. 2021
(currently sub-judice by the European Vegetation Classication Committee)
PINETALIA HALEPENSIS Biondi, Blasi, Galdenzi, Pesaresi et Vagge in Biondi et al. 2014
P -P Biondi, Blasi, Galdenzi, Pesaresi et Vagge in Biondi et al. 2014
Erico multiorae-Pinetum halepensis (Brullo, Di Martino et Marcenò 1977) Biondi et Pesaresi 2017 in
Biondi et al. 2017(= Pistacio lentisci-Pinetum halepensis De Marco et Caneva 1985)
QUERCETEA ILICIS Br.-Bl.1947
QUERCETALIA ILICIS Br.-Bl.1936 em. Rivas-Martínez 1975
F -Q Biondi, Casavecchia et Gigante in Biondi et al. 2013
Rhamno alaterni-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1985
subass. pistacietosum terebinthi Gianguzzi, Ilardi et Raimondo 1996
Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1985 subass. typicum
subass. arbutetosum unedonis Gianguzzi et La Mantia 2008
Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis Brullo et Marcenò 1984
A -L Gianguzzi, P. Cuttonaro, Cusimano et Romano. 2016
Acantho mollis-Lauretum nobilis Gianguzzi, D’Amico et Romano 2010
PISTACIO LENTISCI-RHAMNETALIA ALATERNI Rivas-Martínez 1975
O -C Br.-Bl. 1936 em. Rivas-Martínez 1975
Pistacio lentisci-Chamaeropetum humilis Brullo et Marcenò 1985
Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum dendroidis Brullo, Di Martino et Marcenò 1977
Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis Géhu et Biondi 1997
subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis (Brullo et Marcenò 1985) Gianguzzi, Cutton, Cusim. et Romano 2016
subass. euphorbietosum bivonae (Gianguzzi, Ilardi et Raimondo 1996) Gianguzzi, Cutton., Cusim. et
Romano 2016
Pyro amygdaliformis-Calicotometum infestae Gianguzzi et La Mantia 2008
Ruto chalepensis-Oleetum sylvestris Gianguzzi et Bazan 2020
subass. euphorbietosum bivonae Gianguzzi et Bazan 2020
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
44
subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis Gianguzzi et Bazan 2020
subass. periplocetosum angustifoliae Gianguzzi et Bazan 2020
CRATAEGO-PRUNETEA Tüxen 1962
PYRO-SPINOSAE-RUBETALIA ULMIFOLII Biondi, Blasi et Casavecchia in Blasi et al. 2014
P .R O.Bolòs 1954
Clematido cirrhosae-Rubetum ulmifolii Gianguzzi et La Mantia 2008
ONONIDO-ROSMARINETEA Br.-Bl. in A. Bolòs y Vayreda 1950
ROSMARINETALIA OFFICINALIS Br.-Bl. ex Molinier 1934
P -E Guarino et Pasta 2017
Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiorae Brullo et Marcenò 1983
Brachypodio ramosi-Cistetum creticae Gianguzzi et La Mantia 2008
LYGEO SPARTI-STIPETEA TENACISSIMAE Rivas-Martínez 1978
CYMBOPOGONOBRACHYPODIETALIA RAMOSI Horvatić1963
P -B Mateo ex eurillat et Mucina 2016
Coronillo glaucae-Brachypodietum retusi C. et S. Brullo, Giusso et Tomaselli 2006
Helminthotheco aculeatae-Brachypodietum retusi C. et S. Brullo, Giusso et Tomaselli 2006
HYPARRHENIETALIA HIRTO-PUBESCENTIS Rivas-Martínez 1978
S-H O. de Bolòs 1961
Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis s.l. A.et O. de Bolòs et Br.-Bl. 1950
A-A Minissale 1995
Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesmetum mauritanici Minissale 1995
ONOPORDETEA ACANTHII Br.-Bl. 1964
CARTHAMETALIA LANATI Brullo in Brullo et Marcenò 1985
O Oberd. 1954
Carlino siculae-Feruletum communis Gianguzzi, Ilardi et Raimondo 1996
GALIO-URTICETEA Passarge ex Kopecky 1969
GALIO APARINES-ALLIARIETALIA PETIOLATAE Görs et Müller 1969
G-A Oberdorfer et Lohmeyer in Oberd., Görs, Korneck, Lohm., Müller, Philippi
et Seibert 1967
Smyrnienion oluSatri Rivas Goday ex Rivas-Martinez, Fernàndez-Gonzàlez et Loidi 1999
Acantho-Smyrnietum olusatri Brullo et Marcenò 1985
STIPO-TRACHYNIETEA DISTACHYAE Brullo in Brullo, Scelsi et Spampinato 1998
TRACHYNETALIA DISTACHYAE Rivas-Martinez 1978
T Rivas-Martínez 1978 Brullo in Brullo et al. 2020
ero-Sedetum caerulei Brullo 1975
S O. B 1957
Ononido breviorae-Stipetum capensis Brullo, Guarino et Ronsisvalle 1998
STIPO-BUPLEURETALIA SEMICOMPOSITI Brullo in Brullo, Scelsi et Spampinato 2001
P-C Brullo 1985 corr. Guarino et Pignatti 2019
Anthemido intermediae-Desmazerietum siculae Brullo 1985
Catapodio pauciorae-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova hoc loco
of alliance, order and class: Cyclamen hederifolium V, Allium subhirsutum V, Asparagus
acutifolius V, Smilax aspera IV, Rubia peregrina IV, Clematis cirrhosa IV, Rosa sempervirens
IV, Euphorbia characias III, Asplenium onopteris II, Ruta chalepensis II, Daphne gnidium I,
Teucrium avum V, Euphorbia dendroides II, Stachys major II, Osyris alba II, Arisarum vul-
gare IV, Carex distachya II, Ruscus aculeatus II, Phillyrea latifolia II, Hedera helix V. Other
species: Acanthus mollis V, Rubus ulmifolius IV, Arum italicum IV, Polypodium cambri-
cum IV, Anthriscus nemorosa IV, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus III, Geranium lucidum III,
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 45
Helminthotheca aculeata III, Oxalis pes-caprae II, Brachypodium retusum II, Centranthus
ruber II, Clinopodium nepeta II, Athamanta sicula II, Lathyrus oleraceus subsp. biorus I,
Dryopteris villarii subsp. pallida I, Galium aparine I, Umbilicus horizontalis I, eligonum
cynocrambe I, Crataegus monogyna I. Carex divisa I, Anemone hortensis I, Convolvulus sil-
vaticus I, Hypericum perfoliatum I, Geranium purpureum I. apsia asclepium I.
e rupestrian habitat is particularly well represented in the Mt. Cofano area,
especially along the northern slopes, where the calcareous clis are more than 300
m high. On these clis, chasmophytic vegetation of the Scabioso-Centauretum ucriae
subass. typicum and subass. ericetosum siculae, as well as comophilous, therophytic and
bryophytic communities occur.
Scabioso creticae Centauretum ucriae (After Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008:
tab. 7, rels. 1–10) – Diagnostic species subass. typicum: Centaurea panormitana V, Bras-
sica villosa subsp. bivoniana V, Matthiola incana subsp. rupestris V, Convolvulus cneorum
II, Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis I. Diagnostic species subass. ericetosum siculae:
Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. brulloi V, Erica sicula II, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia
II, Hieracium cophanense II, Phagnalon rupestre I. Characteristics of alliance, order and
class: Silene fruticosa V, Seseli bocconei V, Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola V, Iberis
semperorens IV, Hexaphylla rupestris IV, Euphorbia bivonae III, Glandora rosmarinifolia
II, Pimpinella anisoides I, Antirrhinum siculum I, Odontites bocconei subsp. bocconei I,
Lomelosia cretica IV, Polypodium cambricum III, Melica minuta III, Asplenium ceterach
III, Athamanta sicula II, Hypochoeris laevigata II, Sedum dasyphyllum II. Pseudodictam-
nus hispanicus II, Capparis orientalis II, Umbilicus horizontalis II, Parietaria lusitanica
I, Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens I, Ranunculus spicatus subsp. rupestris I,
Teucrium avum I. Other species: Euphorbia dendroides III, Stachys major II, Ruta cha-
lepensis II, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus II, Chamaerops humilis II, Asparagus albus II,
Ephedra sp. I, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa V, Galium lucidum IV, Coronilla val-
entina subsp. glauca III, Brachypodium retusum III, Hyoseris radiata III, Erica multiora
II, Lotus cytisoides II, Lobularia maritima II, Petrosedum sediforme II, Centranthus ruber
I, Malva arborea I, Oloptum miliaceum I, Phagnalon rupestre I.
Floristic remarks
e research led to the identication of 423 taxa of vascular plants, of which 100 in Mt.
San Giuliano (including 53 taxa documented by herbarium specimens: Suppl. material
1), 201 in Marettimo Island (including 93 taxa documented by herbarium specimens:
Suppl. material 2), 137 in Levanzo Island (including 79 taxa documented by herbarium
specimens; Suppl. material 3), and 220 in Mt. Cofano (including 77 taxa documented
by herbarium specimens, Suppl. material 4). In all the aforementioned study areas, the
Asteraceae was the most represented family with 12, 27, 26 and 32 taxa, respectively.
With regards to Marettimo, four taxa were found to be new oristic records: Ervum
pubescens, Fumana laevis, Kalanchoë ×houghtonii, Lysimachia loeingii and Medicago lit-
toralis. In particular, L. loeingii, a species recently described and known in Italy only for
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
46
Sardinia (Jiménez-López et al. 2022), is recorded for the rst time in Sicily. Our discovery
of M. littoralis is a conrmation for the ora of the island as it was formerly reported by
Francini and Messeri (1956), but not subsequently conrmed (Gianguzzi et al. 2006).
A potential threat to the native ora of the island is the nding of K. ×houghtonii, an
articial hybrid created in the 1930s in the USA by experimental crossings between K.
daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier and K. delagoënsis Eckl. & Zeyh., considered
one of the most rapidly expanding invasive plants in recent times (Herrando-Moraira et
al. 2020). For example, in Italy it was recently indicated as invasive in Calabria (Stinca
et al. 2022). Moreover, further four taxa were found by us for the rst time in Levanzo
(i.e., Avena sterilis subsp. sterilis, Blackstonia perfoliata subsp. intermedia, Catapodium
rigidum subsp. majus, Hyparrhenia sinaica, Oxalis corniculata, Phagnalon rupestre subsp.
rupestre and Scorpiurus subvillosus) and three new taxa in Mt. Cofano (i.e., Blackstonia
grandiora, Carex divulsa and Galium lucidum subsp. venustum). Among these taxa, very
interesting is the discovery of H. sinaica, a SW-Steno-Mediterranean species very similar
to H. hirta subsp. hirta from which it is distinguished by a few characters concerning the
peduncles and the bracts of the inorescences (Pignatti et al. 2017–2019).
In agreement with the results achieved by other Working Groups of the Italian
Botanical Society in southern Italy (e.g., Rosati et al. 2017, Stinca et al. 2019), data
obtained during this study, conrmed the important role of a collaborative approach
among botanists, especially among specialists in vascular ora and vegetation, aimed at
the analysis of the plant diversity of the Italian territory.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank Federico FernándezGonzález for providing information concern-
ing the distribution of Morea sisyrinchium communities in the Iberian Peninsula and
Enrico Ban for reviewing some Poaceae specimens stored in the Herbarium Austroi-
talicum. We also wish to thank Daniele Viciani and the second anonymous reviewer
who read, and commented on, an earlier version of the manuscript. Financial support
from the University of Palermo “Fondo di Finanziamento della Ricerca di Ateneo –
FFR2023” (to LG and GB) is gratefully acknowledged. e nancial support by Fon-
dazione per la Flora Italiana for the publication fee is also gratefully acknowledged.
References
Abate B, Di Maggio C, Incandela A, Renda P (1993) Carta Geologica dei Monti di Capo San
Vito (scala 1/25000). Dipartimento di Geologia e Geodesia, Palermo.
Abate B, Ferruzza G, Incandela A, Renda P (1995) Tettonica trascorrente nelle Isole Egadi
(Sicilia occidentale). Studi Geologici (2, Vol. Speciale): 9–14.
Abate, B, Incandela, A, Renda, P (1999) Geologia dell’Isola di Marettimo. Il Naturalista Sicili-
ano 23(1–2), 3–41.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 47
Agnesi V, Macaluso T, Orrù P, Ulzega A (1993) Paleogeograa dell’Arcipelago delle Egadi
(Sicilia) nel Pleistocene Sup.-Olocene. Il Naturalista Siciliano 17(1–2): 3–22.
Aleo M, Bazan G, Quattrocchi U (2013) Le piante vascolari del litorale trapanese: da Ronciglio
a Capo San Vito. Quaderni di botanica ambientale e applicata 22: 101–116.
Barbagallo C, Brullo S, Guglielmo A (1979) Lineamenti della vegetazione di Monte Cofano
(Sicilia occidentale). Pubblicazioni Istituto di Botanica Università di Catania.
Barbagallo C, Brullo S, Guglielmo A (1980) Carta della vegetazione di Monte Cofano (Sicilia
occidentale). Collana del Progr. Finalizzato “Promoz. Sulla Qualità dell’Ambiente”, s.
AQ\1\39. C.N.R, Roma.
Bartolo G, Brullo S, Lo Cicero E, Marcenò C, Piccione V (1978) Osservazioni tosociologiche
sulla pineta a Pinus halepensis di Vittoria (Sicilia meridionale). Archivio Botanico e Biogeo-
graco Italiano 54(3–4): 137–154.
Bartolo G, Brullo S, Minissale P, Spampinato G (1985) Osservazioni tosociologiche sulle
pinete a Pinus halepensis Miller del bacino del ume Tellaro (Sicilia sud-orientale). Bollet-
tino dell’Accademia Gioenia di Scienze naturali 18: 255–270.
Bartolo G, Brullo S, Signorello P (1992) La classe Crithmo-Limonietea nella penisola italiana.
Colloques Phytosociologiques 19(1989): 55–82.
Bartolo G, Brullo S, Minissale P, Spampinato G (1988) Flora e vegetazione dell’Isola di Lampe-
dusa. Bollettino dell’Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali di Catania 21(344): 119–225.
Bartolucci F, Peruzzi L, Galasso G, Albano A, Alessandrini A, Ardenghi NMG, Astuti G, Bac-
chetta G, Ballelli S, Ban E, Barberis G, Bernardo L, Bouvet D, Bovio M, Cecchi L, Di Pi-
etro R, Domina G, Fascetti S, Fenu G, Festi F, Foggi B, Gallo L, Gottschlich G, Gubellini
L, Iamonico D, Iberite M, Jiménez-Mejías P, Lattanzi E, Marchetti D, Martinetto E, Ma-
sin RR, Medagli P, Passalacqua NG, Peccenini S, Pennesi R, Pierini B, Poldini L, Prosser
F, Raimondo FM, Roma-Marzio F, Rosati L, Santangelo A, Scoppola A, Scortegagna S,
Selvaggi A, Selvi F, Soldano A, Stinca A, Wagensommer RP, Wilhalm T, Conti F (2018) An
updated checklist of the vascular ora native to Italy. Plant Biosystems 152(2): 179–303.
https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2017.1419996
Bazan G, Marino P, Guarino R, Domina G, Schicchi R (2015) Bioclimatology and vegetation
series in Sicily: a geostatistical approach. Annales Botanici Fennici 52: 1–18. https://doi.
org/10.5735/085.052.0202
Biondi E, Blasi C, Allegrezza M, Anzellotti I, Azzella MM, Carli E, Casavecchia S, Copiz R,
Del Vico E, Facioni L, Galdenzi D, Gasparri R, Lasen C, Pesaresi C, Poldini L, Sburlino G,
Taetani F, Vagge I, Zitti S, Zivkovic L. (2014) Plant communities of Italy: e Vegetation
Prodrome, Plant Biosystems – An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant
Biology, 148(4): 728–814. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2014.948527
Biondi E, Filigheddu R, Farris E (2001) Il paesaggio vegetale della Nurra. Fitosociologia 38(2)
(suppl. 2): 3–105.
Bolòs O, Molinier R (1958) Recherches phytosociologiques dans l’Ile de Majorque. Collecta-
nea Botanica 5(34): 699–865.
Bonari G, Fernández-González F, Çoban S, Monteiro-Henriques T, Bergmeier E, Didukh YP,
Xystrakis F, Angiolini C, Chytrý K, Acosta ATR, Agrillo E, Costa JC, Danihelka J, Hen-
nekens SM, Kavgacı A, Knollová I, Neto CS, Sağlam C, Škvorc Z, Tichý L, Chytrý M
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
48
(2021) Classication of the Mediterranean lowland to submontane pine forest vegetation.
Applied Vegetation Science 24(1): e12544. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12544
Braun-Blanquet J (1964) Panzensoziologie, Grundzuge der Vegetationskunde (3rd Edn).
Springer, Wien. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-8110-2
Brullo S (1985) Contributo alla conoscenza della vegetazione nitrola della Sicilia. Colloques
Phytosociologiques 12: 23–148.
Brullo S, Brullo C (2020) Flora endemica illustrata della Sicilia. Larua editore, 1–448.
Brullo C, Brullo S, Cambria S, Giusso Del Galdo G, Ilardi V (2016) Limonium cophanense
(Plumbaginaceae), a new species from Sicily. Phytotaxa 255(2): 153–159. https://doi.
org/10.11646/phytotaxa.255.2.4
Brullo C, Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G, Guarino R, Minissale P, Scuderi L, Siracusa G, Sciandrel-
lo S, Spampinato G (2010) e Lygeo-Stipetea class in Sicily. Annali di Botanica (0): 57–84.
Brullo C, Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G, Ilardi V (2014) Silene nefelites (Caryophyllaceae), a
new annual species from Sicily. Phyton-Annales rei botanicae 54(2): 223–232.
Brullo C, Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G, Pavone P, Salmeri C (2009) Prospero hierae (Hyacintha-
ceae), a new species from Marettimo Island (Sicily). Phyton 49(1): 93–104.
Brullo C, Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G, Tomaselli V (2006) Contributo alla conoscenza delle
praterie a Brachypodium retusum del Mediterraneo centro-orientale. Quaderni di Botanica
Ambientale e Applicata 17(2): 49–64.
Brullo S, Brullo C, Cambria S, Giusso del Galdo G (2020) e vegetation of the Maltese
Islands. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34525-9
Brullo S, Di Martino A, Marcenò C (1977) La vegetazione di Pantelleria (Studio tosocio-
logico). Pubblicazioni Istituto di Botanica. Università di Catania. Catania, 111 pp.
Brullo S, Gianguzzi L, La Mantia A, Siracusa G (2008) La classe Quercetea ilicis in Sicilia.
Bollettino dell’Accademia Gioenia di Scienze naturali 41(369): 1–77.
Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G (2003) La classe Saginetea maritimae in Italia. Fitosociologia
40(2): 29–41.
Brullo S, Giusso del Galdo G, Guarino R, Minissale P, Spampinato G (2007) A survey of the
weedy communities of Sicily. Annali di Botanica 7(n.s.): 127–161.
Brullo S, Guarino R, Siracusa G (1999) Taxonomical revision about the deciduous oaks of Sic-
ily. Webbia 54(1): 1–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/00837792.1999.10670670
Brullo S, Marcenò C (1979) Dianthion rupicolae nouvelle alliance sudtyrrhenienne des Aspleni-
etalia glandulosi. Documents Phytosociologiques 4: 131–146.
Brullo S, Marcenò C (1980) Il Diplotaxion erucoidis in Sicilia, con considerazioni sulla sintas-
sonomia e distribuzione. Notiziario Fitosociologico 15(1978): 27–44.
Brullo S, Marcenò C (1983) Osservazioni tosociologiche sull’Isola di Marettimo (Arcipelago
delle Egadi). Bollettino dell’Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali di Catania 15(320):
201–228.
Brullo S, Marcenò C (1985a) Contributo alla conoscenza della classe Quercetea ilicis in Sicilia.
Notiziario Fitosociologico 19(1): 183–229.
Brullo S, Marcenò C (1985b) Contributo alla conoscenza della vegetazione nitrola della Si-
cilia. Colloques Phytosociologiques 12: 23–148.
Brullo S, Marcenò C, Siracusa G (2004) La classe Asplenietea trichomanis in Sicilia. Colloques
Phytosociologiques 27: 467–538.
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 49
Brullo S, Minissale P, Spampinato G (1995) Considerazioni togeograche sulla ora della Si-
cilia. Ecologia Mediterranea 21(1/2): 99–117. https://doi.org/10.3406/ecmed.1995.1759
Brullo S, Scelsi F (1996) Contributo alla conoscenza della vegetazione terotica costiera del
territorio ibleo. Bollettino dell’Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali di Catania 29(352):
151–168.
Brullo S, Scelsi F, Spampinato G (2001) La vegetazione dell’Aspromonte. Larua, 370 pp.
Catalano R (1986) Northeastern Sicily straits. Stratigraphy and structures from seismic reec-
tion proles. – Rendiconti della Società Geologica Italiana 9: 103–112.
Catalano R, D’Argenio B, Montanari L, Borlotti E, Torelli L (1985) Marine geology of the
N-W Sicily oshore (Sardinia Channel) and its relationships with mainland structures.
Bollettino della Società Geologica Italiana 104: 207–215.
Catanzaro F (1984) Contributo alla ora dell’isola di Marettimo (Egadi). Il Naturalista sicili-
ano 8: 27–34.
Dana Sánchez E, Rodríguez-Tamayo L, Mola Poveda JE (1999) Los pastizales anuales semióri-
dos del secror Almeriense: Spergulo fallacis-Plantaginetum ovatae, una nueva comunidad
endémica. Lazaroa 20: 49–53.
De Marco G, Dinelli A, Caneva G (1985) Analisi sintassonomica e togeograca comparata
delle boscaglie a Juniperus phoenicea L. in Sardegna. Notiziario Fitosociologico 22: 39–48.
Di Martino A, Trapani S (1968) Flora e vegetazione delle isole di Favignana e Levanzo
nell’Arcipelago delle Egadi. II. Levanzo. Lavori dell’Istituto Botanico e del Giardino Colo-
niale di Palermo, 23: 37–152.
Di Pietro R (2001) Aspetti cenologici e distributivi di Daphne sericea Vahl nel Lazio. Fitosocio-
logia 38 (2): 45–61.
Di Pietro R, Conte AL, Di Marzio P, Gianguzzi L, Spampinato G, Caldarella O, Fortini P
(2020a) A multivariate morphometric analysis of diagnostic traits in southern Italy and
Sicily pubescent oaks. Folia Geobotanica 55(3): 163–183. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s12224-020-09378-0
Di Pietro R, Conte AL, Di Marzio P, Fortini P, Farris E, Gianguzzi L, Muller M, Rosati L, Spamp-
inato G, Gailing O (2021) Does the genetic diversity among pubescent white oaks in south-
ern Italy, Sicily and Sardinia islands support the current taxonomic classifcation? European
Journal of Forest Research 140: 355–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-020-01334-z
Di Pietro R, Di Marzio P, Antonecchia G, Conte AL, Fortini P (2020b) Preliminary characteri-
zation of the Quercus pubescens complex in southern Italy using molecular markers. Acta
Botanica Croatica 79(1): 15–25. https://doi.org/10.37427/botcro-2020-002
Di Pietro R, Di Marzio P, Medagli P, Misano G, Silletti GN, Wagensommer RP, Fortini P
(2016) Evidence from multivariate morphometric study of the Quercus pubescens complex
in southeast Italy. Botanica Serbica 40: 83–10.
Di Pietro R, Fortini P, Misano G, Terzi M (2021) Phytosociology of Atractylis cancellata and
Micromeria microphylla communities in southern Italy with insights on the xerothermic
steno-Mediterranean grasslands high-rank syntaxa. Plant Sociology 58(1): 133–155.
https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2021581/07
Domina G, Greuter W, Raimondo FM (2017) A taxonomic reassessment of the Centaurea
busambarensis complex (Compositae, Cardueae), with description of a new species from
the Egadi Islands (W Sicily). Israel Journal of Plant Sciences 64(1–2): 48–56.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
50
Drago A, Cartabellotta D, Lo Bianco B, Lombardo M (2000) Atlante climatologico della Si-
cilia. Regione Siciliana, Assessorato Agricoltura e Foreste, Servizi allo Sviluppo, Unità Op-
erativa di Agrometeorologia, Palermo.
Duro A, Piccione V, Scalia C, Zampino S (1996) Precipitazioni e temperature medie mensili in
Sicilia relative al sessantennio 1926–1985. Atti 5° Workshop Progr. Strat. C.N.R. ‘Clima
Ambiente e Territorio nel Mezzogiorno d’Italia 1: 17–109.
Francini E, Messeri A (1956) L’Isola di Marettimo nelle Egadi e la sua vegetazione. Webbia 11:
607–846. https://doi.org/10.1080/00837792.1956.10669652
Galasso G, Conti F, Peruzzi L, Ardenghi NMG, Ban E, Celesti-Grapow L, Albano A, Ales-
sandrini A, Bacchetta G, Ballelli S, Bandini Mazzanti M, Barberis G, Bernardo L, Blasi C,
Bouvet D, Bovio M, Cecchi L, Del Guacchio E, Domina G, Fascetti S, Gallo L, Gubellini
L, Guiggi A, Iamonico D, Iberite M, Jiménez-Mejías P, Lattanzi E, Marchetti D, Marti-
netto E, Masin RR, Medagli P, Passalacqua NG, Peccenini S, Pennesi R, Pierini B, Podda
L, Poldini L, Prosser F, Raimondo FM, Roma-Marzio F, Rosati L, Santangelo A, Scoppola
A, Scortegagna A, Selvaggi A, Selvi F, Soldano A, Stinca A, Wagensommer R.P, Wilhalm T,
Bartolucci F (2018) An updated checklist of the vascular ora alien to Italy. Plant Biosys-
tems 152(3): 556–592. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2018.1441197
Gasparo Morticelli M, Sulli A, Agate M (2016) Sea-land geology of Marettimo (Egadi Islands,
central Mediterranean sea). Journal of Maps 12(5): 1093–1103. https://doi.org/10.1080/
17445647.2015.1127858
Gianguzzi L (1999a) Vegetazione e bioclimatologia dell’Isola di Pantelleria (Canale di Sicilia)
con annessa Carta della vegetazione dell’Isola di Pantelleria (Canale di Sicilia). Braun-
Blanquetia 20: 1–74.
Gianguzzi L (1999b) Il paesaggio vegetale dell’Isola di Pantelleria. Collana Sicilia Foreste 8,
Azienda Foreste Demaniali della Regione Siciliana, Palermo, 1–192.
Gianguzzi L, Bazan G (2020a) A phytosociological analysis of the Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris
(Mill.) Lehr. forests in Sicily. Plant Biosystems 154(5): 705–725. https://doi.org/10.1080
/11263504.2019.1681532
Gianguzzi L, Bazan G (2020b) e Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris (Mill.) Lehr. forests in the
Mediterranean area. Plant Sociology 56 (2): 3–34. https://doi.org/10.7338/pls2019562/01
Gianguzzi L, Bazan G (2020c) e vegetation of a historic road system in the suburban
area of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo, Sicily). Plant Sociology 57(2): 71–103. https://doi.
org/10.3897/pls2020572/02
Gianguzzi L, Cusimano D, Bonventre V, Romano S, Ilardi V (2012) Bio-ecological, phytoso-
ciological and conservation aspects of relictual and disjointed populations of Simethis mat-
tiazzi (Vandelli) Sacc. (Xanthorrhoeaceae) in the Channel of Sicily. Acta Botanica Gallica
159(3): 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1080/12538078.2012.737141
Gianguzzi L, Cusimano D, Cuttonaro P, Romano S (2016a) Contribution to the phytoso-
ciological characterisation of the forest vegetation of the Sicani Mountains (inland of the
north-western Sicily). Plant Sociology 53(1): 5–42. http://doi.org/10.7338/pls2016531/02
Gianguzzi L, Cusimano D, Ilardi V, Romano S (2015) Phytosociological analysis of the Genista
sp. pl. garrigues of the Cisto-Lavanduletea and Rosmarinetea ocinalis classes in the South-
Tyrrhenian area (Mediterranean Region). Plant Biosystems 149(3): 574–588. https://doi.
org/10.1080/11263504.2014.1000425
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 51
Gianguzzi L, D’Amico A, Romano S (2010) Phytosociological remarks on residual woodlands of
Laurus nobilis in Sicily. Lazaroa 31: 67–84. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_LAZA.2010.v31.4
Gianguzzi L, La Mantia A (2008) Contributo alla conoscenza della vegetazione e del paesaggio
vegetale della Riserva Naturale “Monte Cofano” (Sicilia occidentale) (con allegata Carta
sintosociologica della vegetazione, scala 1:20.000). Fitosociologia 45(1) (suppl. 1): 1–55.
Gianguzzi L, La Mantia A, Ottonello D, Romano S (2005) La ora vascolare della Riserva
naturale di Monte Cofano (Sicilia occidentale). Il Naturalista Siciliano 29(3–4): 107–152.
Gianguzzi L, Ottonello D (2000) La Riserva di Monte Cofano (Sicilia nord-occidentale).
Aspetti geomorfologici, naturalistici ed etnoantropologici. Collana Sicilia Foreste 8, Azien-
da Foreste Demaniali della Regione Siciliana. Palermo, 1–257.
Gianguzzi L, Papini F, Cusimano D (2016b) Phytosociological survey vegetation map of Sicily
(Mediterranean region). Journal of Maps 12(5): 845–851. https://doi.org/10.1080/1744
5647.2015.1094969
Gianguzzi L, Scuderi L, La Mantia A (2003a) Dati preliminari per una caratterizzazione sin-
tosociologica e cartograca del paesaggio vegetale dell’Isola di Marettimo (Arcipelago delle
Egadi, Canale di Sicilia). – Congr. Soc. Ital. Fitosoc. “Fitosociologia Applicata” (Venezia
12–14 Febbraio 2003). Riassunti: 32.
Gianguzzi L, Scuderi L, La Mantia A (2003b) Fitosociologia applicata alla conservazione delle
aree protette in Sicilia: la Carta della vegetazione dell’Isola di Marettimo (Arcipelago delle
Egadi). Atti del 98° Congresso Società Botanica Italiana. Riassunti. Catania 24–26 Settem-
bre 2003, 297.
Gianguzzi L, Scuderi L, Pasta S (2006) La ora vascolare dell’Isola di Marettimo (Arcipelago
delle Egadi, Canale di Sicilia): aggiornamento ed analisi togeograca. Webbia 61(2):
359–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/00837792.2006.10670810
Giardina G, Raimondo FM, Spadaro V (2007) A catalogue of plants growing in Sicily. Boc-
conea 20: 5–582.
Guarino R, Bazan G, Paura B (2015) Downy oak woods of Italy: phytogeographical remarks
on a controversial taxonomic and ecological issue in: Warm-Temperate Deciduous For-
ests around the Northern Hemisphere. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.
org/10.1007/978-3-319-01261-2_7
Guarino R, Pasta S (2017) Botanical Excursions in Central and Western Sicily. Field Guide for the
60th IAVS Symposium (Palermo, 20–24 June 2017). Palermo University Press, Palermo, 1–606.
https://www.academia.edu/35613890/Botanical_Escursions_in_Central_and_Western_Sicily
Gussone G (1832–1834) Supplementum ad Florae Siculae Prodromum, quod et specimen
orae insularum Siciliae ulteriori adjacentium. Fasciculi 2 Ex Regia Typographia, Neapoli.
Gussone G (1842–1845) Florae Siculae Synopsis exhibens plantas vasculares in Sicilia insu-
lisque adjacentibus hucusque detectas secundum systema Linneanum dispositas. 3 vols.
Typ. Tramater, Neapoli. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.50455
Herrando-Moraira S, Vitales D, Nualart N, Gómez-Bellver C, Ibáñez N, Massó S, Cachón-
Ferrero P, González-Gutiérrez PA, Guillot D, Herrera I, Shaw D, Stinca A, Wang Z, López-
Pujol J (2020) Global distribution patterns and niche modelling of the invasive Kalanchoe
× houghtonii (Crassulaceae). Scientic Reports 10: 3143. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-
020-60079-2
Hofrichter R (2001) Das Mittelmeer: Flora, Fauna, Okologie. Spektrum, Heidelberg.
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
52
Iamonico D, Guarino R, Ilardi V, Pignatti S (2016) A revision of Helichrysum panormitanum
s.l. (Asteraceae) in the Italian and Maltese oras. Phytotaxa 286(3): 207–210.
Jiménez-López FJ, Viruel J, Arista M, Ortiz PL, Talavera M (2022) Molecular approaches reveal
speciation between red-and blue-owered plants in the Mediterranean Lysimachia arvensis
and L. monelli (Primulaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 199(2): 557–577.
https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boab081
La Rosa A, Gianguzzi L, Salluzzo G, Scuderi L, Pasta S (2021) Last tesserae of a fading mo-
saic: oristic census and forest vegetation survey at Parche di Bilello (south-western Sicily,
Italy), a site needing urgent protection measures. Plant Sociology 58(1): 55–74. https://
doi.org/10.3897/pls2020581/04
Lentini F, Carbone S (2014) Geologia della Sicilia-geology of Sicily. Memorie Descr. Carta
Geologica d’Italia 95: 7–414.
Lojacono-Pojero M (1888–1909) Flora Sicula o descrizione delle piante spontanee o indigenate
in Sicilia. Palermo, 5 voll.
Lorenz R, Lorenz K (2002) Zur Orchideenora zirkumsizilianischer Inseln. Jber. naturwiss.
Ver. Wuppertal 55: 100–162. https://doi.org/10.2307/3072695
Marino P, Guarino R, Bazan G (2012) e Sicilian taxa of Genista sect. Voglera and their
phytosociological framework. Flora Mediterranea 22: 169–190. https://doi.org/10.7320/
FlMedit22.169
Médail F, Quezel P (1999) Biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean Basin: setting global
conservation priorities. Conservation biology 13(6): 1510–1513. https://doi.org/10.1046/
j.1523-1739.1999.98467.x
Minissale P (1995) Studio tosociologico delle praterie ad Ampelodesmos mauritanicus della
Sicilia. Colloques phytosociologiques 21: 615–652.
Ministero dei LL. PP (1978–1996) Annali idrologici. Palermo.
Mucina L, Bültman H, Dierssen K, eurillat J-P, Dengler J, Čarni A, Šumberová K, Raus
T, Di Pietro R, Iakushenko D, et al. (2016) Vegetation of Europe: Hierarchical oristic
classication system of plant, lichen, and algal communities. Applied Vegetation Science.
19(Suppl. 1): 3–264. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12257
Musarella CM, Cano Ortiz A, Piñar Fuentes JC, Navas Ureña J, Pinto Gomes CJ, Quinto
Canas R, Spampinato G, Cano E (2018) Similarity analysis between species in the Quercus
genus in southern Italy based on the fractal dimension. PhytoKeys 113: 79–95. https://doi.
org/10.3897/phytokeys.113.30330
Ottonello D, Catanzaro F (1986) Contributo alla ora del Trapanese. Il Naturalista siciliano
9(1–4): 89–99.
Pasta S, De Rigo D, Caudullo G (2016) Quercus pubescens in Europe: distribution. habitat.
usage and threats. In: San-Miguel-Ayanz. J, De Rigo D, Caudullo G, Houston Durrant T,
Mauri A (Eds) European Atlas of Forest Tree Species. Publications Oce of the European
Union. Luxembourg, e01493b+.
Pesaresi S, Biondi E, Vagge I, Galdenzi D, Casavecchia S (2017) e Pinus halepensis Mill.
forests in the central-eastern European Mediterranean basin. Plant Biosystems 151(3):
512–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2017.1302514
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 53
Pignatti S, Guarino R, La Rosa M (2017–2019) Flora d’Italia, 2nd edn. Media Business – Ed-
agricole, Milano – Bologna, 4 vols.
Ponzo A (1900) La ora trapanese. Tipograa Puccio, Palermo, 140 pp.
Portal to the Flora of Italy (2023) Portale della Flora d’Italia / Portal to the Flora of Italy. http:/
dryades.units.it/oritaly [Accessed 10.03.2023]
Raaelli M, Ricceri C (1988) Su alcune specie mediterranee del genere Euphorbia L.: E. bivonae
Steud., E. papillaris (Boiss.) Raaelli et Ricceri, stat. nov, E. melitensis Parl. Webbia 42(1):
1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00837792.1988.10670423
Raimondo FM, Fici S, Gianguzzi L, Lentini F, Mazzola P, Miceli G, Not R, Ottonello D,
Romano S, Schicchi R (1986) Atlante iconograco delle piante endemiche o rare della Ris-
erva naturale orientata dello Zingaro (Sicilia). Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Azienda
Freste Demaniali della Regione Siciliana, STASS, Palermo, 1–84.
Raimondo FM, Gianguzzi L, Ilardi V (1992) Inventari delle specie “a rischio” nella ora vasco-
lare nativa della Sicilia. Quaderni di Botanica Ambientale Applicata 3: 65–132.
Raimondo FM, Gianguzzi L, Venturella G, Lo Valvo M (1990) Indagine preliminare sul pat-
rimonio biologico-ambientale delle coste siciliane. Quaderni di Botanica Ambientale Ap-
plicata 1: 131–182.
Raimondo FM, Bancheva ST (2004) Centaurea erycina (Asteraceae), a new species from NW-
Sicily. Bocconea 17: 299–306.
Rikli M (1946) Das Panzenkleid der Mittelmeerländer, Bd. 2. Huber, Bern.
Rivas-Martínez S (1994) Bases para una nueva classicacion bioclimatica de la Tierra. Folia
Botanica Madritensis 10: 1–23.
Rivas-Martìnez S, Diaz TE, Fernàndez-Gonzàlez F, Izco J, Lousa M, Penas A (2002) Vascular
plant communities of Spain and Portugal. Addenda to the syntaxonomical checklist of
2001. Itinera Geobotanica 15(2): 433–922.
Rivas-Martìnez S, Fernàndez-Gonzàlez F, Loidi J, Lousa M, Penas A (2001) Syntaxonomical
checklist of vascular plant communities of Spain and Portugal to association level. Itinera
Geobotanica 14(2): 5–341.
Rivas-Martìnez, S, Penas, A, Dıaz, TE (2004) Biogeographic map of Europe. León, Spain:
Cartographic Service, University of León.
Rivieccio G, Ale M, Angiolini C, Bagella S, Bazan G, Bonini F, Caria MC, Casavecchia S,
Castello M, Dagnino G, De Francesco M.C, Farris E, Fanfarillo E, Fiaschi T, Forte L, Gi-
anguzzi L, Landucci F, Maneli F, Mantino F, Mariotti M, Pirone G, Poldini L, Poponessi
S, Praleskouskaya S, Stanisci A, Tomaselli V, Tozzi FP, Turcato C, Venanzoni R, Gigante D
(2021) New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #26 to #36. Plant Sociol-
ogy 58(2): 77–98. https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2021582/07
Romano S, Tobia G, Gianguzzi L (2006) Rassegna della ora vascolare dell’Isola di Lev-
anzo (Arcipelago delle Egadi, Canale di Sicilia). Informatore Botanico Italiano 38(2):
481–502.
Romano V, Catalano G, Bazan G, Calì F, Sineo L (2021) Archaeogenetics and Landscape Dy-
namics in Sicily during the Holocene: A Review. Sustainability 13(17): 9469. https://doi.
org/10.3390/su13179469
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
54
Rosati L, Romano V, Bartolucci F, Bernardo L, Bouvet D, Cancellieri L, Caruso G, Conti F,
Faraoni F, Ban E, Galasso G, Lattanzi E, Lavezzo P, Peccenini S, Perrino EV, Salerno G,
Sciandra A, Soldano A, Stinca A, Totta C, Fascetti S (2017) Contribution to the oristic
knowledge of the Maddalena Mountains (Basilicata and Campania, southern Italy). Italian
Botanist 3: 73–82. https://doi.org/10.3897/ib.3.12519
Sciandrello S, D’Agostino S, Minissale P (2013) Vegetation analysis of the Taormina Region
in Sicily: a plant landscape characterized by geomorphology variability and both ancient
and recent anthropogenic inuences. Lazaroa 34: 151–190. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_
LAZA.2013.v34.n1.41434
Scuderi L (2002) Caratterizzazione tipologica e cartograca del paesaggio vegetale dell’Isola di
Marettimo (Isole Egadi). Corso di Laurea in Scienze Forestali ed Ambientali. Facoltà di
Agraria. Università degli Studi di Palermo (A.A. 2001–2002).
Scuderi L (2006) Flora e vegetazione della provincia di Trapani (Sicilia). Tesi di Dottorato in
Scienze Ambientali I – Fitogeograa dei Territori Mediterranei (XIX Ciclo), Università
degli Studi di Catania, Catania, 1–541.
Scuderi L (2008) Nuovo contributo alla ora vascolare di Marettimo (Isole Egadi, Sicilia oc-
cidentale). Il Naturalista Siciliano 2(3–4): 484–485.
Stinca A, Chianese G, D’Auria G, Fascetti S, Ravo M, Romano VA, Salerno G, Astuti G, Bar-
tolucci F, Bernardo L, Bonari G, Bouvet D, Cancellieri L, Carli E, Caruso G, Catalano I,
Cennamo GD, Ciaschetti G, Conti F, Di Pietro R, Fortini P, Gangale C, Lapenna MR,
Lattanzi E, Marcucci R, Peccenini S, Pennesi R, Perrino EV, Peruzzi L, Roma-Marzio F,
Scoppola A, Tilia A, Villani M, Rosati L (2019) Contribution to the oristic knowledge of
eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (Campania and Basilicata, southern Italy). Italian
Botanist 8: 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.8.37818
Stinca A, Musarella CM, Rosati L, Laface VLA, Licht W, Fanfarillo E, Wagensommer RP, Gal-
asso G, Fascetti S, Esposito A, Fiaschi T, Nicolella G, Chianese G, Ciaschetti G, Salerno
G, Fortini P, Di Pietro R, Perrino EV, Angiolini C, De Simone L, Mei G (2021) Italian
Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between
Regions. Diversity 13(11): 600. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13110600
eurillat JP, Willner W, Fernández-González F, Bültmann H, Čarni A, Gigante D, Mucina L,
Weber H (2021) International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. 4th edn. Applied
Vegetation Science 24: e12491. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12491
iers B (2023) Index Herbariorum: A Global Directory of Public Herbaria. New York Bo-
tanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih [Accessed on 5
March 2023]
Tusa S (2000) Evidenze archeologiche. In: Gianguzzi L and Ottonello D (Eds) La Riserva di
Monte Cofano (Sicilia nord-occidentale). Aspetti geomorfologici, naturalistici ed etnoan-
tropologici. Collana Sicilia Foreste 8, Azienda Foreste Demaniali della Regione Siciliana,
Palermo, 223–237.
Wellstein C, Spada F (2015) e status of Quercus pubescens Willd. In Europe. In: Box EO,
Fujiwara K (Eds) Warm-temperate deciduous forests around the Northern Hemisphere.
Springer, Cham, 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01261-2_8
WFO (2003) World Flora Online. http://www.worldoraonline.org/ [Accessed 10.03.2023]
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 55
Supplementary material 1
List of collected specimens (*) from Mt. San Giuliano and/or taxa quoted in the text
Authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Riccardo Guarino, Giuseppe Bazan, Romeo Di Pietro,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Enrico Bajona, Peter Bolliger, Costantino Bonomi,
Adriano Camuo, Carlo Console, Simonetta Fascetti, Paola Fortini, Annarita
Frattaroli, Giacomo Mei, Fabio Mondello, Silvia Olivari, Masin Rizzieri, Leonardo
Rosati, Simona Sarmati, Leonardo Scuderi, Marco Simonazzi, Giovanni Spampinato,
Lucia Viegi, Adriano Stinca
Data type: table (.pdf le)
Copyright notice: is dataset is made available under the Open Database License
(http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). e 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.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989.suppl1
Supplementary material 2
List of collected specimens (*) from Marettimo Island and/or taxa quoted in the text
Authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Riccardo Guarino, Giuseppe Bazan, Romeo Di Pietro,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Enrico Bajona, Peter Bolliger, Costantino Bonomi,
Adriano Camuo, Carlo Console, Simonetta Fascetti, Paola Fortini, Annarita
Frattaroli, Giacomo Mei, Fabio Mondello, Silvia Olivari, Masin Rizzieri, Leonardo
Rosati, Simona Sarmati, Leonardo Scuderi, Marco Simonazzi, Giovanni Spampinato,
Lucia Viegi, Adriano Stinca
Data type: table (.pdf le)
Copyright notice: is dataset is made available under the Open Database License
(http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). e 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.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989.suppl2
Lorenzo Gianguzzi et al. / Italian Botanist 16: 1–57 (2023)
56
Supplementary material 3
List of collected specimens (*) from Levanzo Insland and/or taxa quoted in the text
Authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Riccardo Guarino, Giuseppe Bazan, Romeo Di Pietro,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Enrico Bajona, Peter Bolliger, Costantino Bonomi,
Adriano Camuo, Carlo Console, Simonetta Fascetti, Paola Fortini, Annarita
Frattaroli, Giacomo Mei, Fabio Mondello, Silvia Olivari, Masin Rizzieri, Leonardo
Rosati, Simona Sarmati, Leonardo Scuderi, Marco Simonazzi, Giovanni Spampinato,
Lucia Viegi, Adriano Stinca
Data type: table (.pdf le)
Copyright notice: is dataset is made available under the Open Database License
(http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). e 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.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989.suppl3
Supplementary material 4
List of collected specimens (*) from Mt. Cofano and/or taxa quoted in the text
Authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Riccardo Guarino, Giuseppe Bazan, Romeo Di Pietro,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Enrico Bajona, Peter Bolliger, Costantino Bonomi,
Adriano Camuo, Carlo Console, Simonetta Fascetti, Paola Fortini, Annarita
Frattaroli, Giacomo Mei, Fabio Mondello, Silvia Olivari, Masin Rizzieri, Leonardo
Rosati, Simona Sarmati, Leonardo Scuderi, Marco Simonazzi, Giovanni Spampinato,
Lucia Viegi, Adriano Stinca
Data type: table (.pdf le)
Copyright notice: is dataset is made available under the Open Database License
(http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). e 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.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989.suppl4
Excursion to Egadi Islands, Mt. San Giuliano and Mt. Cofano 57
Supplementary material 5
Taxa with authors' names listed in Table 4
Authors: Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Riccardo Guarino, Giuseppe Bazan, Romeo Di Pietro,
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Enrico Bajona, Peter Bolliger, Costantino Bonomi,
Adriano Camuo, Carlo Console, Simonetta Fascetti, Paola Fortini, Annarita
Frattaroli, Giacomo Mei, Fabio Mondello, Silvia Olivari, Masin Rizzieri, Leonardo
Rosati, Simona Sarmati, Leonardo Scuderi, Marco Simonazzi, Giovanni Spampinato,
Lucia Viegi, Adriano Stinca
Data type: table (.docx le)
Copyright notice: is dataset is made available under the Open Database License
(http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). e 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.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.16.103989.suppl5
Available via license: CC BY 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
