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The Herbarium electronic archives of the Department of Botany of Catania University are here illustrated. A Microsoft Access database has been developed for digital cataloguing of specimens from historical and recent Herbarium collections. A simple interface allows a fast consultation by quick ordering, retrivial and search of data in all records of the catalogue. Digital high definition photographs of the exsiccata are included in the Herbarium archives and linked to the relative record.

A citotaxonomic study on two Sicilian populations of Sternbergia colchiciflora from Madonie and Mt. Etna was carried out. They show marked differences in their morphology and caryology.This suggests to treat them as two distinct taxa, but their correct taxonomic position needs further investigation on other populations of Sternbergia colchiciflora from Mediterranean area

A new species, Loncomelos koprulense (Asparagaceae), is described and illustrated from southern Turkey. It is a very rare endemic species growing on small semi-rocky escarpments within the Köprülü Kanyon in the province of Antalya. Morphologically for its hairy leaves, L. koprulense shows some relationships with L. malatyanum and L. tardum, species localized in Anatolia too. The chromosome number of the new species is 2n = 2x = 22. Geographical distribution map for L. koprulense, L. malatyanum and L. tardum is provided.

A new species, Alliumalbanicum, is described and illustrated from Albania (Balkan Peninsula). It grows on serpentines or limestone in open rocky stands with a scattered distribution, mainly in mountain locations. Previously, the populations of this geophyte were attributed to A.meteoricum Heldr. & Hausskn. ex Halácsy, described from a few localities of North and Central Greece. These two species indeed show close relationships, chiefly regarding some features of the spathe valves, inflorescence and floral parts. They also share the same diploid chromosome number 2n =16 and similar karyotype, while seed testa micro-sculptures and leaf anatomy reveal remarkable differences. There are also several morphological features that allow them to be differentiated at specific level. The inclusion of both species into a newly described section Pseudoscorodon of the subgen. Allium is proposed. An analytic key to the species, included in the new section, is also provided.

Allium valdecallosum is a critical and poorly known species endemic to Morocco. Its diagnostic features, karyology, seed testa micro-morphology, leaf anatomy, ecology, distribution, conservation status, and taxonomic relationships are examined here.

Salmeri, Cristina/0000-0002-5261-590X WOS: 000454161300003 Psoralea acaulis Hoffm. is a very peculiar and taxonomically isolated species of the tribe Psoraleeae, occurring in the Caucasian territories. Currently, this tribe contains 10 distinct genera, well differentiated morphologically. Due to some morphological similarities, P. acaulis was attributed to Bituminaria Heist ex Fabr., a genus with a Mediterranean-Macaronesian distribution. However, as it has many characters, some of which are autapomorphic, it was assigned its own subgenus: Christevenia Barneby ex C. H. Stirt. In light of detailed cladistic and phylogenetic analyses, this arrangement is taxonomically questionable and rather controversial. In order to clarify its status, extensive macromorphological, micromorphological, karyological, and palynological investigations of the currently known species of Bituminaria and all other genera of the tribe Psoraleeae were carried out. This allowed us to establish that P. acaulis should be placed in a separate genus in this tribe. According to the cladistic analysis of all known genera of Psoraleeae, this new monospecific genus, named Kartalinia Brullo, C. Brullo, Cambria, Acar, Salmeri & Giusso, is morphologically and karyologically very distinct and taxonomically isolated from Bituminaria, as well as from the other members of Psoraleeae. In this paper, the morphology and micromorphology of pod and seed testa, pollen grains, and seedlings; the karyology (2n = 22); ecology; conservation status; and chorology of K. acaulis (Hoffm.) Brullo, C. Brullo, Cambria, Acar, Salmeri & Giusso are examined. An analytical key to all genera of Psoraleeae is also provided. research program "FIR 2014" - University of Catania The authors are very grateful to Dr. Girolamo Fichera from the University of Catania for his useful collaboration and technical assistance for the SEM surveys. This research was financially supported by the research program "FIR 2014" funded by the University of Catania.

We conducted a GIS spatial analysis with the aim of providing the first quantitative large-scale overview of the distribution patterns of 1536 type localities ( loci classici ) of 1216 Italian endemic vascular plants and their relationship with a set of descriptive variables. Whereas some variables were used to model the presence-absence distribution patterns of the type localities for the whole set of endemics as well as for the subset of narrow endemics, others (e.g., presence inside or outside protected areas and Italian Important Plant Areas) were considered with the purpose of assessing potential assets or risks for conservation. The largest number of type localities was found within the Mediterranean biogeographic region (1134), followed by the Alpine region (306) and Continental region (96). A total of 670 locations are located on islands, whereas 866 are located on the Italian mainland (139 and 124 in the case of narrow endemics, respectively). A large number of type localities are located in mountainous areas and along the coastline, which can be seen as a potential risk for conservation. On the contrary, we detected a positive correlation with the distance from roads, which might be considered to be an asset. Importantly, 1030 type localities fall inside protected areas, whereas 506 localities fall outside protected areas, with 259 of these unprotected localities on islands. We propose considering the results of the analysis of the distribution of type localities of Italian endemics to be a strategic tool for conservation planning and resource management. Application of plant micro-reserves and integration of diverse legislation tools are suggested to strengthen efforts and increase conservation success.

Ferula melitensis, a new species from the Malta Archipelago, is described and illustrated. It belongs to the taxonomic group of F. communis, showing close relationships mainly with F. tunetana, F. arrigonii, F. communis s.str. and F. glauca, from which it differs in several features regarding the stem, leaves (mainly for shape and size of terminal segments), flowers and mericarps; other significant differences regard the ecology and phenology. The investigations, carried out on living plants, herbarium material and literature data, regard the morphological analysis of vegetative and reproductive structures, the anatomy of terminal leaf segments and mericarps, as well as the shape and size of seedlings. Previous phylogenetic approaches, based on nuclear and plastidial genome, have allowed to clarify better the relationships among F. melitensis and the other species of this group.

The present study aimed at verifying the morphological variation in leaf traits among different populations of Pancratium maritimum (sea daffodil) and the correlation between leaf diversity and climate conditions at different sites. Eleven populations of P. maritimum from Mediterranean coastal sand dunes were investigated with respect to leaf surface micro-morphology, leaf anatomy, and vascular pattern. Morphometric analysis was based on 29 quantitative foliar parameters. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant function analysis (DFA), and clustering by Ward’s method were used for the statistical evaluation. Results revealed a rather uniform leaf structure in P. maritimum , but many significant differences were detected among the studied populations. The observed population variation in leaf traits reflects an important phenotypic plasticity among populations of P. maritimum associated with different local climatic regimes that may facilitate plant survival under stressed environmental conditions of sand dunes. The most sensitive morpho-anatomical traits in P. maritimum , which express leaf phenotypic plasticity, are leaf outline and venation, leaf thickness, stomata distribution, and size. Our results indicate that the modifications of leaf architecture are important anatomical and physiological strategies to help P. maritimum reducing water loss through leaves and increasing water use efficiency.