Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Chara, for the bryophyte genera Bryum, Grimmia, Cephaloziella, Hypnum, Nogopterium, Physcomitrium, Polytrichastrum, Rhynchostegiella, Saelania, and Schistostega, the fungal genera Cortinarius, Lentinellus, Omphalina, and Xerophorus, and the lichen genera Acarospora, Agonimia, Candelariella, Cladonia, Graphis, Gyalolechia, Hypogymnia, Lichinella, Megalaria, Nephroma, Ochrolechia, Opegrapha, Peltigera, Placidium, Ramalina, Rhizoplaca, Ropalospora, Strangospora, Toniniopsis, Usnea, and Zahlbrucknerella.

Do marginal plant populations enhance the fitness of larger core units under ongoing climate change? Empirical insights from a rare carnation

Assisted gene flow (AGF) can restore fitness in small plant populations. Due to climate change, current fitness patterns could vary in the future ecological scenario, as highly performant lineages can undergo maladaptation under the new climatic contexts. Peripheral populations have been argued to represent a potential source of species adaptation against climate change, but experimental evidence is poor. This paper considers the consequences of within- and between-population mating between a large core population and the southernmost population, the rare Dianthus guliae, to evaluate optimal AGF design under current and future conditions. We performed experimental self-pollinations and within- and between-population cross-pollinations to generate seed material and test its adaptive value to aridity. Seed germination, seedling growth and survival were measured under current and expected aridity. Effects of population type, pollination treatment and stress treatment on fitness components were analysed by generalized linear models. Relative measures of inbreeding depression and heterosis were taken under different stress treatments. Self-pollination reduced fitness for all the considered traits compared to within- and between-population cross-pollination. Under current aridity regime, the core population expressed higher fitness, and a larger magnitude of inbreeding depression. This indicated the core unit is close to its fitness optimum and could allow for restoring the fitness of the small peripheral population. Contrarily, under increased aridity, the fitness of outbred core lineages decreased, suggesting the rise of maladaptation. In this scenario, AGF from the small peripheral population enhanced the fitness of the core unit, whereas AGF from the core population promoted a fitness loss in the peripheral population. Hence, the small peripheral population could improve fitness of large core units versus climate change, while the contrary could be not true. Integrating reciprocal breeding programmes and fitness analyses under current and predicted ecological conditions can support optimal AGF design in a long-term perspective.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 13

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Bryum, Cryphaea, Didymodon, and Grimmia; the fungal genera Bryostigma, Cercidospora, Conocybe, Cortinarius, Endococcus, Inocybe, Psathyrella, and Sphaerellothecium; the lichen genera Agonimia, Anisomeridium, Bilimbia, Diplotomma, Gyalecta, Huneckia, Lecidella, Lempholemma, Myriolecis, Nephroma, Pannaria, Pycnothelia, Pyrrhospora, Rinodina, Stereocaulon, Thalloidima, Trapelia, Usnea, Variospora, and Verrucaria.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records, confirmations or exclusions for the bryophyte genera Acaulon, Campylopus, Entosthodon, Homomallium, Pseudohygrohypnum, and Thuidium, the fungal genera Entoloma, Cortinarius, Mycenella, Oxyporus, and Psathyrella and the lichen genera Anaptychia, Athallia, Baeomyces, Bagliettoa, Calicium, Nephroma, Pectenia, Phaeophyscia, Polyblastia, Protoparmeliopsis, Pyrenula, Ramalina, and Sanguineodiscus.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 11

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Aneura, Aulacomnium, Dumortiera, Fossombronia, Hennediella, Hygrohypnella, Pohlia, Porella, Riccardia, Tortella, and Tortula, the fungal genera Cortinarius, Mycena, Naucoria, Trichoglossum, and Tubaria and the lichen genera Agonimia, Blastenia, Chaenotheca, Cladonia, Endocarpon, Gyalecta, Lecanographa, Parmeliella, Porpidia, Stenhammarella, and Thelidium.

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 9

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

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 9

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions. Two new combinations are proposed. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 9

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Encalypta, Grimmia, and Riccia, for the fungal genera Hericium, Inocybe, Inocutis, Pluteus, and Russula, and for the lichen genera Bryoria, Farnoldia, Hypocenomyce, Lecania, Paracollema, Peltigera, Sarcogyne, and Teloschistes.

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 9

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Furthermore, three new combinations are proposed. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 8

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Ajuga, Chamaemelum, Clematis, Convolvulus, Cytisus, Deschampsia, Eleocharis, Epipactis, Euphorbia, Groenlandia, Hedera, Hieracium, Hydrocharis, Jacobaea, Juncus, Klasea, Lagurus, Leersia, Linum, Nerium, Onopordum, Persicaria, Phlomis, Polypogon, Potamogeton, Securigera, Sedum, Soleirolia, Stachys, Umbilicus, Valerianella, and Vinca. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 8

In this contribution, new data concerning algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algae genus Chara, the bryophyte genera Homalia, Mannia, and Tortella, the fungal genera Cortinarius, Russula, and Stereum, and the lichen genera Cetrelia, Cladonia, Enterographa, Graphis, Lecanora, Lepraria, Multiclavula, Mycomicrothelia, Parmelia, Peltigera, Pleopsidium, Psora, Scytinium, Umbilicaria, and Rhizocarpon.

Corrigendum: Sicoli G, Passalacqua NG, De Giuseppe AB, Palermo AM, Pellegrino G (2019) A new species of Psathyrella (Psathyrellaceae, Agaricales) from Italy. MycoKeys 52: 89-102. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.52.31415

Not required

A new species of Psathyrella (Psathyrellaceae, Agaricales) from Italy

Sporophores of a new Psathyrella species have been reported for the first time as growing at the base of Cladiummariscus culms in the Botanical Garden of the University of Calabria, Rende, Cosenza, southern Italy. The fungus was initially identified as P.thujina (= P.almerensis) by means of both ecology and macro- and microscopic characteristics of the basidiomes, then referred to P.cladii-marisci sp. nov. after extraction, amplification, purification and analysis of the rDNA ITS region. We came to this conclusion after comparing our specimen with the descriptions of the taxa available in the literature for the genus Psathyrella.

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 7

In this contribution, new data concerning algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algae genusChara, the bryophyte generaCephalozia,Conardia,Conocephalum,Didymodon,Sphagnum,Tetraplodon, andTortula, the fungal generaEndophyllum,Gymnosporangium,Microbotryum,Phragmidium, andPluteus, and the lichen generaCandelariella,Cladonia,Flavoplaca,Lichenothelia,Peltigera,Placolecis,Rinodina,Scytinium, andSolenopsora.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 6

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the generaAlchemilla,Arundo,Bupleurum,Clematis,Clinopodium,Cota,Crassula,Cytisus,Euphorbia,Hieracium,Isoëtes,Lamium,Leontodon,Linaria,Lychnis,Middendorfia,Ophrys,Philadelphus,Pinus,Sagina,Sedum,Taeniatherum,Tofieldia,Triticum,Veronica, andVicia. Nomenclature and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 5

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records and confirmations to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Allium, Arabis, Campanula, Centaurea, Chaerophyllum, Crocus, Dactylis, Dianthus, Festuca, Galanthus, Helianthemum, Lysimachia, Milium, Pteris, and Quercus. Nomenclature and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as supplementary material.

Assessment of antioxidant, antitumor and pro-apoptotic effects of Salvia fruticosa Mill. subsp. thomasii (Lacaita) Brullo, Guglielmo, Pavone & Terrasi (Lamiaceae)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant and antitumor effects of Salvia fruticosa Mill subsp. thomasii (Lacaita) Brullo, Guglielmo, Pavone & Terrasi (Lamiaceae). The aerial parts were extracted by maceration with methanol. This extract was partitioned with methanol and n-hexane. Luteolin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, rutin and salvigenin were isolated from the methanol-soluble fraction. n-Hexane fraction showed viridiflorol, β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, as main components. The methanol-soluble fraction exerted antitumor activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and human colorectal carcinoma (RKO and Caco-2) cells. TUNEL test revealed that S. fruticosa subsp. thomasii leads to cells death by apoptosis, with low cytotoxic effects on non-tumoral 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, it exerted the highest protection of lipid peroxidation and reduced the oxidative stress induced by menadione treatment in 3T3-L1 murine fibroblasts. S. fruticosa subsp. thomasii bioactivity could promote its use not only as food but also in nutraceutical/pharmaceutical industries.

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 3

In this contribution new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, exclusions, and confirmations to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the generaAsplenium,Bolboschoenus,Botrychium,Chamaerops,Crocus,Galeopsis,Grafia,Helosciadium,Hieracium,Juniperus,Leucanthemum,Lolium,Medicago,Phalaris,Piptatherum,Potamogeton,Salicornia,Salvia,Seseli,Silene,Spiraea,TorilisandVicia.Rhaponticoidescalabricais proposed assynonym novumofR.centaurium. Furthermore, new combinations in the generaGalatellaandLactucaare proposed.

Histo-anatomical leaf variations related to depth in Posidonia oceanica

The purpose of our study is to explore the acclimation of Neptune seagrass (Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile) to depth by characterising the histo-anatomical leaf modifications. P. oceanica is the dominant seagrass and main habitat constructor of seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. Meadows play an important biological and ecological role in marine ecosystems, serving as a habitat for a large diversity of species and an efficient erosion protection system for our coasts. Seagrasses are very sensitive to change in light availability and small changes can have significant effects on growth, abundance and distribution. In this study, we analyse changes in P. oceanica leaves collected at -5m, -15m and -25m depth in the Cirella meadow (Tyrrhenian coast, Southern Italy) in order to determine their depth-related histo-anatomical variation. Two main changes were observed at depth: (1) photosynthetic epidermal cells showed smaller chloroplasts but in the same number; and (2) leaves showed smaller epidermal cells and in greater number. Hence, the photosynthetic surface of P. oceanica leaves remains the same at different depths but pigment absorption efficiency can be significantly enhanced with depth. This response supports the differential photoacclimatory response of seagrasses with respect to terrestrial plants previously documented. Mesophyll cells are smaller with depth and more numerous, with a consequent increase in leaf density. The number of vascular bundles also increases, which allows improved functional efficiency of the transport system and solute exchange. Our study is a new contribution to the morpho-functional implications of the histo-anatomy of P. oceanica.

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Profiles of the Senecio cineraria Group (Asteraceae)

Alkaloid profiles of five Senecio species (Asteraceae), including S. ambiguus subsp. ambiguus, S. ambiguus subsp. nebrodensis, S. gibbosus subsp. bicolor, S. gibbosus subsp. gibbosus, and S. gibbosus subsp. cineraria, were studied. Eleven pyrrolizidine alkaloids were identified and their content was evaluated by GLC-MS and GLC analysis. Otosenine and florosenine were found to be the major alkaloids in all studied species. It is interesting that only S. ambiguus subsp. nebrodensis was characterized by a high content of the alkaloids jacobine, jacoline, jaconine, and jacozine

Antiproliferative activities on renal, prostate and melanoma cancer cell lines of Sarcopoterium spinosum aerial parts and its major constituent tormentic acid

The search for improved cytotoxic agents continues to be an important line in the discovery of modern anticancer drugs. Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach is mentioned in ethnobotanical surveys as a medicinal plant used for the treatment of cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate and to compare the aerial parts of S. spinosum collected in Italy and Lebanon for their chemical composition and their antiproliferative activity against ACHN, C32, A375, MCF-7, LNCaP and HeLa human cancer cell lines using SRB assay. The main constituent tormentic acid was isolated by MPLC and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (NMR, MS). Non polar compounds were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. S. spinosum showed an interesting antiproliferative activity against ACHN and C32 cell lines with IC(50) values of 2.4 and 2.7 μg/ml for S. spinosum from Italy and Lebanon, respectively. Remarkable results were obtained also against A375 and LNCaP cell lines. The cytotoxicity against ACHN cell line could be partially attributed to tormentic acid that demonstrated a higher cytotoxicity than the positive control vinblastine. Close association between the radical scavenging activity (evaluated by DPPH and ABTS assay) and cytotoxicity was also demonstrated. This investigation demonstrated the potential cytotoxic activity of S. spinosum taking into account also that none of the tested extracts, fractions and isolated compound affected the proliferation of normal cell line 142BR. Tormentic acid, the major constituent isolated from S. spinosum, play an important role in the cytotoxicity exhibited by the extract.

Berberis aetnensis and B. libanotica: a comparative study on the chemical composition, inhibitory effect on key enzymes linked to Alzheimer's disease and antioxidant activity

Objectives

This study involves for the first time the evaluation of Berberis aetnensis C. Presl. and Berberis libanotica Ehrenb. ex C.K. Schneid. roots for anticholinesterase and antioxidant properties, with the aim to search compounds possibly useful for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods

Samples were evaluated for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The antioxidant activity was assayed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and β-carotene bleaching tests. Berberine and palmatine were isolated by flash chromatography and identified by spectrometric methods as main constituents. Non-polar compounds were analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Key findings

Extracts, fractions and isolated compounds inhibited AChE and BChE to varying degrees. The methanol fractions exhibited the strongest AChE inhibitory activity with inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of 7.6 and 16.9 μg/ml for B. aetnensis and B. libanotica, respectively. The alkaloid fraction of B. aetnensis inhibited AChE (IC50 of 24.5 μg/ml) and possessed the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 value of 2.2 μg/ml in β-carotene-bleaching test after 30 min of incubation). Berberine was more potent of palmatine against AChE (IC50 of 2.2 and 7.4 μg/ml, respectively).

Conclusions

These findings raise the possibility of developing B. aetnensis and B. libanotica as a promising candidate for the treatment of AD.

Intricate variation patterns in the diploid-polyploid complex of Alyssum montanum-A. repens (Brassicaceae) in the Apennine Peninsula: evidence for long-term persistence and diversification

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

The Apennine Peninsula, one of the three peninsulas of the European Mediterranean, is an important hotspot of genetic and species diversity, but studies devoted to plant evolution are still very scarce in this region. We studied the diploid-polyploid complex of Alyssum montanum-A. repens, focusing on Apennine and adjacent southwestern Alpine populations from southeastern France, with the aim of examining their taxonomic position and evolutionary patterns.

METHODS

We employed AFLP markers and cpDNA sequences, along with cytotype determination using flow cytometry, and a multivariate morphometric approach.

KEY RESULTS

The Italian and French populations formed two well-delimited groupings within the studied complex that were, in contrast to previous taxonomic treatments, clearly distinct from A. montanum. Populations from southeastern France represent A. orophilum, a previously described but abandoned species. Those from central and southern Italy correspond to A. diffusum, exhibiting high, geographically structured variation (central Apennines, Gargano, and southern Apennines/Calabria). This pattern coincides with hotspot refugial regions, in congruence with the "refugia-within-refugia" hypothesis, and is reflected here in the recognition of three subspecies within A. diffusum.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide evidence for the presence of Mediterranean refugia for the studied Alyssum montanum-A. repens complex located in central and southern Italy, which, however, did not contribute to the postglacial colonization of Central Europe. Past extinctions, genetic bottlenecks, and recent expansion were inferred in Central Europe, while long-term accumulation of diversity as well as polyploidization occurred in the Apennines.

Contribution to the knowledge of the folk plant medicine in Calabria region (Southern Italy)

A series of research on plants used in Calabria (Southern Italy) in the folk plant medicine was carried out in the last twenty years. The use of 104 taxa distributed into 42 families are described. Among the major findings: Ceterach officinarum as hypotensive; Heliotropium europaeum in the case of urinary inflammations; Silybum marianum for haemorrhoids; Arundo donax for pertussis and cystitis; Allium cepa for sties and flu; Laurus nobilis as galactagogue; Passiflora incarnata for burns, haemorrhoids and skin inflammations; Scrophularia canina for rhagas and wounds; Urtica membranacea for tussis and tonsillitis.

Contribution to the knowledge of the veterinary science and of the ethnobotany in Calabria region (Southern Italy)

BACKGROUND

A series of preliminary research projects on plants used in Calabria (Southern Italy) in veterinary science and in other ethno-botanical fields (minor nourishment, domestic and handicraft sector) was carried out in the last twenty years. From the ethno-botanical point of view, Calabria is one of the most interesting region, since in the ancient times it was subject to the dominant cultures of several people (Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans etc.). Until some decades ago the road network was poorly developed and villages were isolated, so that the culture of the "subsistence" and some archaic customs were kept.

METHODS

Data were collected by means of "open" interviews to farmers, shepherds and housewives in the last twenty years. More than 100 informants were interviewed, mostly over 50 years old. Plants were identified by local informants through gathering in the area or through examination of the fresh plants collected by the researchers. The collected data were compared with pharmacobotanical papers mainly of southern Italy and with other studies, in order to highlight novelties or concordances of uses.

RESULTS

The use of 62 taxa distributed into 34 families are described. Among these, 8 are or were employed in veterinary science, 8 as anti-parasitic agents, 19 in minor nourishment, 5 as seasoning, 38 for other uses. Some toxic species for cattle are also mentioned.

CONCLUSION

Among the major findings: the use of Helleborus bocconei for bronchitis of bovines and of Scrophularia canina for lameness in veterinary science; Nerium oleander and Urginea maritima as anti-parasitic agents; Epilobium angustifolium, Centaurea napifolia L. and C. sphaerocephala L. in minor nourishment.