F. Raimondo

Procedures are presented that were followed during the preparation of the first pteridophyte family treatments for the "Flora Critica d'Italia": Lycopodiaceae, Isoetaceae, Selaginellaceae. The work was mainly based on the study of literature and herbarium specimens. In some cases SEM observation of spores has proved useful. Data collected from herbarium specimens and other verified sources were loaded into a database, from which a distribution map was prepared for each taxon. Several preliminary papers have been published, and for each family a taxonomic conspectus, with type designations, maps and an identification key, has been prepared. The treatment of these three families for the "Flora Critica d'Italia" (in Italian) is about to be published or (Isoetaceae) has already been published.

In funzione della promozione dell'arboricoltura da legno in Sicilia, vengono presentati i risultati di osservazioni condotte presso l'Orto botanico di Palermo, concernenti la coltivazione del noce pecan (Carya illinoensis). Essi vengono valutati positivamente ...

Flora and vegetation of Natural Reserve “Laghetti di Marinello” (North-Eastern Sicily) Flora and vegetation of the Natural Reserve “Laghetti di Marinello” (Patti, NE Sicily) are examined. in this area extending 414 hectares, different environmental aspects enabled the emergence of various types of vegetation. The plant-communities are represented by halophilous communities (Juncetea maritimi), riverine hygrophilous communities (Phragmito-Magnocaricetea), psammophilous coenoses (Ammophiletea, Cakiletea maritimae), chasmophytic coenoses (Asplenietea trichomanis), woody and nanophanerophytic coenoses (Quercetea ilicis), and steppic prairies (Lygeo-Stipetea). The floristic analysis testifies the importance of this Reserve, in which 2 taxa exclusive to this area (Centaurea panormitana subsp. seguenzae, Festuca humifusa), 9 regional endemics and other 14 at risk according to the Regional Red Lists. The Habitat mentioned in the Habitats directive 92/43/cEE are 12. The Reserve need more pro...

The hydraulic resistance of young olive trees grafted on rootstocks with contrasting size-controlling potential was measured 30, 90, 360 and 480 days after grafting. Olive (Olea europaea L.) clones inducing plant vigorous growth (Leccino ‘Minerva’, LM) or dwarfing (Leccino ‘Dwarf’, LD) were studied in different scion/rootstock combinations (LD/LD, LD/LM, LM/LD, LM/LM). Plants growing on LD root systems developed lower leaf surface areas (about 50% less) than plants grafted on LM rootstocks. Graft union represented the largest fraction (up to 85%) of whole-plant hydraulic resistance 30 days after grafting, and still represented an important fraction of it 2 months later (40–55%). Four-hundred and eighty days after grafting, the hydraulic resistance of the graft union became negligible (<3%) with no difference among the different scion/rootstock combinations. Our data reinforce the idea of graft hydraulics not playing a role in depressing the vigour of the scion as observable in ad...

The census of the loci classici of 1,400 Italian endemic vascular plants (i.e. not thriving elsewhere with the exception of Corsica and Malta) is here presented and described. The effective place of publication of accepted names, basionyms and homotypic synonyms were identified and critically verified. This often resulted in some change in authorship attribution and, in seven cases, in validation problems (Asperula cynanchica var. lactea var. nov., A. lactea comb. nov., Biscutella laevigata subsp. raffaelliana subsp. nov., Ferulago nodosa subsp. geniculata comb. & stat. nov., Limonium tineoi comb. nov., L. usticanum sp. nov., Noccaea torreana comb. nov.). The geographic information on the loci classici was excerpted from the protologues, as well as information on typification for the taxa described before 1 January 1958. The names without holotype are 796. For 347 names a lecto- or neo-typification is available in literature, while 449 currently accepted taxa still need of type desi...