Plant Sociology 56 (1) 2019

E. Brugiapaglia¹ & E. Biondi²

¹Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Via F. de Sanctis I-86100 Campobasso, Italy.

²Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, I-60131 Ancona, Italy.

doi: 10.7338/pls2019561/01

A fossil trunk was found in the clay layer, covered by colluvial material along the Topino river, near Nocera Umbra (Province of Perugia). The still woody consistency of the finding allowed the xylotomic analysis, carried out on the transversal, radial and tangential sections that highlighted the following fundamental characteristics for the determination of the find: i) pinoid pits in the crossing fields; ii) transverse tracheids of the rays with indentures; iii) lack or rare presence of pits of transverse fibretracheids. On the basis of the characters listed above, the wood has been attributed to the genus Pinus and to the sylvestris section. In the fossil state the presence of macroremains of Pinus sylvestris or Pinus nigra has been highlighted for the Conca river, at Gran Sasso and along the Esino and Metauro rivers. The pollen frequencies of Pinus, between 10 and 30%, are always recorded during the Lateglacial period in Umbria Marche and Abruzzo. The research of pollen analysis rarely relate the presence of the macroremains to that of the pollen, without therefore having the possibility to quantify the population. The finding of Nocera Umbra, dated 14100 B.P., is the youngest discovered in central Italy. The presence of Pinus tp. sylvestris in natural vegetation is therefore certain up to this date. For later periods there are no findings yet.

M. Galiè, R. Gasparri, E. Biondi, R.M. Perta, N. Biscotti, S. Pesaresi & S. Casavecchia

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy.

doi: 10.7338/pls2019561/02

The importance of the conservation of three species endemic to the Puglia region (<i>Centaurea subtilis</i>, <i>Centaurea diomedea</i>, <i>Campanula garganica</i> subsp. <i>garganica</i>) and of their habitats <i>sensu</i> Directive 92/43/EEC led us to carry out studies on seed viability assessments and germination of these species. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the reproductive traits (seed germination behaviour and reproductive strategy in relation to temperature) of <i>Centaurea subtilis</i>, <i>C. diomedea</i> and <i>Campanula garganica</i> subsp. <i>garganica</i>. This preliminary study is fundamental to highlight the germinative potential of each of these species, on the basis of the different environmental conditions reproduced in the laboratory, and for the identification of any eco-physiological problems related to their germination, especially in terms of habitat conservation. Finally, these data will be very useful in the planning of seed multiplication strategies and reintroduction protocols.

L. Lastrucci¹, G. Ferretti², N. Mantarano² & B. Foggi²

¹University Museum System, Natural History Museum of the University of Florence, Botany, via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy.

²Department of Biology, University of Florence, via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy.

doi: 10.7338/pls2019561/03

The vegetation of the Mediterranean wetland of the lake Acquato (Grosseto Province, southern Tuscany) was studied according to the phytosociological method. The study put in evidence the occurrence of hydrophytic, helophytic, perennial wet meadow and annual hygrophilous communities, respectively belonging to the following classes: Lemnetea minoris, Potametea pectinati, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea, Agrostietea stoloniferae, Bidentetea tripartitae and Isoëto-Nanojuncetea. Some vegetation types are reported for the first time for Italy. Two habitats of conservation value according to the 92/43/CEE Directive Habitats have been identified.

D. Gigante¹, M. Allegrezza², C. Angiolini³, S. Bagella^4,5, M.C. Caria⁵, G. Ferretti⁶, B. Foggi⁶, M. Gennai⁶, L. Lastrucci⁷, F. Maneli⁸, A. Selvaggi⁹, G. Tesei², D. Viciani⁶ & K. Zanatta¹⁰

¹Department of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno 74, I-06121 Perugia, Italy.

²Department of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy.

³Department of Life Sciences, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, I-53100 Siena, Italy.

⁴Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, I-07100 Sassari, Italy.

⁵Desertification Research Centre, University of Sassari, Via de Nicola, I-07100 Sassari, Italy.

⁶Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy.

⁷University Museum System, Natural History Museum (Botany), University of Florence, Via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy.

⁸Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di sotto 8, I-06123 Perugia, Italy.

⁹Istituto per le Piante da Legno e l’Ambiente, Corso Casale 476, I-10132 Torino, Italy.

¹⁰Giavera del Montello, I-31040 Treviso, Italy.

doi: 10.7338/pls2019561/04

New data concerning the distribution of the 92/43/EEC Directive’s Annex I Habitats 3160, 3170*, 3240, 4090, 6110*, 6510, 9540 in Italy are reported. They include four new occurrences in Natura 2000 Sites and 12 new cells in the EEA 10 km x 10 km Reference grid. This is the first contribution focused on reporting about new national and regional Annex I Habitat records on this journal: in a specific Appendix, instructions for the authors who wish to contribute in future are given.