The 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. This paper includes: (1) general information on the visited sites; (2) geology and geomorphology; (3) climatology and bioclimatology with tables of climatic data; (4) description of the following five geobotanical itineraries – accompanied by 29 original vegetation relevés and 11 synthetic relevés, proceeding from different 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 related 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 pauciflori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova), referring to an ephemeral dry grassland located along the north-western coastal stretch of Marettimo. The new association 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 different 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 floristic updates for the study sites are also reported, including the discovery for the first time in Sicily of Lysimachia loeflingii.

Egadi Island, Phytogeography, Syntaxonomy, Vascular flora, Vegetation, Western Sicily

This 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 Asociación 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. The 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 aspects occurring in nearby territories. It should be emphasized that one of the main scientific activities envisaged by this Working Group is to improve knowledge on Italian vegetation through field surveys, which allow for the increment of data relating to the syntaxa and their floristic set. Moreover, the phytosociological approach, based on floristic, 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 geobotanical 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.

Figure 1. 

Map of the itineraries of the 2022 annual excursion of the Working Group for Vegetation Science of the Italian Botanical Society, numbered in chronological order. Arrows correspond to the precise location of the sites depicted in Fig. 2.

Previously, these areas of Sicily were targeted in various phytosociological investigations 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 contributions 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 flora, apart from the classic floristic 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). Further data are available from the Province of Trapani (Raimondo et al. 1986, 1990, 1992; Scuderi 2006; Aleo et al. 2013), related floristic reports (e.g. Catanzaro 1984; Brullo and Marcenò 1985b; Ottonello and Catanzaro 1986; Raffaelli 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.).

The present contribution aims to summarize, in the form of a geobotanical report, the knowledge and critical issues concerning the plant communities identified during the aforementioned annual excursion of our Working Group. Furthermore, syntaxonomic and phytogeographic considerations, that fueled the debate during this field trip in one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the Mediterranean basin (Médail and Quezel 1999), are reported.

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 (Municipality 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 (5.6 km2), they are part of the Egadi archipelago, together with Favignana 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 substrates dating back to the Mesozoic and Tertiary, with Plio-Pleistocene and Holocene depositions (Abate et al. 1995).

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).

According to the biogeographical classification 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 Aegadian district (Brullo et al. 1995).

All visited sites belong to the Natura 2000 network as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), with the following codes: ITA010010 – Mt. San Giuliano; ITA010016 – Mt. Cofano and its coastline; ITA010002 – Marettimo; ITA010003 – Levanzo. These are also included in the following Special Protection Areas (SPAs): ITA010027 – Egadi Archipelago; ITA010029 – Mount Cofano, Mount San Vito and Mount Sparagio. The 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.

Due to the lack of meteorological stations in the Egadi archipelago, the climatic records 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 (125 m 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 aforementioned stations (Duro et al. 1996). The climate throughout the study area is characterized by a rainfall regime of Mediterranean type, with markedly dry summers 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 affects significantly the temperatures of the whole area, mitigating the climatic extremes.

Based on the bioclimatic classification 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 ombroclimate (coastal plain) to Meso-Mediterranean with upper sub-humid ombroclimate on the top (Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008).
2. Mt. Cofano – From thermo-Mediterranean with lower sub-humid ombroclimate (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 – Thermo-Mediterranean with upper dry ombroclimate (Romano et al. 2006).

Bioclimatic units are based on Rivas-Martínez’s classification (2004); indices were calculated 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 relevés and 11 synthetic relevés, elaborated from different bibliographic references regarding the study area, were carried out. The syntaxonomic classification refers to different contributions cited throughout the text.

The floristic lists of collected or observed taxa from Mt. San Giuliano, Marettimo, Levanzo, and Mt. Cofano are reported in Suppl. materials 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. New floristic records are highlighted with a note in the tables provided in the Suppl. materials 1–4.

The collected plant material is preserved in public (FI, HFLA, HLUC, IS, IT, the acronyms follow Thiers 2023), or private herbaria (Herb. G. Mei). The identification of the plant specimens was based on Pignatti et al. (2017–2019). Taxonomic nomenclature follows the checklists of the Italian vascular flora (Bartolucci et al. 2018; 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 [Pignatti et al. 2017–2019; Gianguzzi et al. 2006], Senecio aegadensis C. Brullo et Brullo (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 loeflingii (Jiménez-Lopez et al. 2022). For the taxa not belonging to the flora of Italy, cited in Table 4, the World Flora Online (2023) was followed.

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 flanks, 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.

Land use – 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 disturbances. In particular, the higher areas are covered by extensive reforestation with conifers, which are periodically subject to fires, 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 Thymbra capitata, and Erica multiflora), by steppic grasslands with Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta or Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, and by ephemeral meadows, usually interspersed with rocky outcrops colonized by several endemic chasmophytes. Limited patches of woody vegetation dominated by holm oak or laurel occur in cooler microclimate stands of the northern slope.

Series and microgeoseries – The basal xeric belt of Mt. San Giuliano is mainly 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 fires and cuts. This plant community is here represented by the Ruto chalepensis- Oleetum sylvestris subass. euphorbietosum bivonae (Gianguzzi and Bazan 2020a, 2020b). The 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.

The holm oak series (Pistacio lentisci-Querco ilicis sigmetum) develops within the upper belt, influenced by the Thermo- to Meso-Mediterranean subhumid bioclimate. It is represented by the following vegetation units: climatophilous woodland with Quercus ilex and Pistacia lentiscus (Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis); scrub with Chamaerops humilis (Pistacio-Chamaeropetum humilis) and/or Cytisus infestus (Pyro amygdaliformis-Calicotometum infestae); garrigue with Erica multiflora (Micromeriofruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae corr. = Erico-Micromerietum fruticulosae); perennial dry grassland with Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Helictotricho convoluti-Ampelodesmetum mauritanici); nitrophilous hemicryptophytic vegetation (Carlinosiculae- Feruletum communis); therophytic meadow with Stipellula capensis (Ononido breviflorae-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 represented 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 northern exposure. Lastly, the microgeosigmetum of cliffs, with associations of the alliance Dianthion rupicolae (Asplenietea trichomanis), must be mentioned. The 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).

Endemic and rare species – 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 species (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.

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 drepanensis d view of the village of Marettimo surrounded by formerly terraced fields and by the rugged landscape of the island e view of the Erico multiflorae-Pinetum halepensis, with Punta Bassana in the background f vegetation of Limonietum tenuiculi, fringing the rocky shore of Marettimo.

Sampled plant communities

The first stopover was in the town of Erice, where it was possible to observe Silene nefelites, 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. This chasmophytic community is referred to the Sicilian-Tyrrhenian association of the Dianthion rupicolae, Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae subass. brassicetosum 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: Lomelosia 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 +, Umbilicus rupestris +, Asplenium ceterach +, Polypodium cambricum 1, Hypochoeris laevigata 1, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +, Hyoseris radiata +, Campanula erinus +, Sedum caeruleum +, Muscari commutatum +, Veronica cymbalaria +.

The Scabioso creticae-Centauretum ucriae is widespread on the cliffs of the mountains forming the north-western strip of the coast of Trapani. However, the stands observed in Erice differ from the typical ones for the lack of some endemic species, such as Iberis semperflorens and Seseli bocconei.

Paucispecific, 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 Athamantosiculae-Parietarietum, an association of the alliance Parietarion judaicae, described from Monte Pellegrino (Palermo) by Gianguzzi 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 cliff 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. The relevé reported below was sampled on a steep slope, with a clay-limestone matrix, next to the cliffs, in an area that is highly exposed to moisture condensation.

Acantho mollis- Lauretum nobilis – Erice, below the cliffs near Torretta Pepoli (38°02'08"N, 12°35'29"E): 726 m, 80°, N, 100 m². Diagnostic species: Laurus nobilis 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 italicum 1, Smyrnium olusatrum 1, Parietaria judaica + (Gianguzzi et al. 2016a).

Syntaxonomical note – The 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. This association was described by Gianguzzi et al. (2016a) to define the micro-woods rich in laurel, widespread in Italy and in the large central-Mediterranean islands. Compared to the alliance Arbuto unedonis- Laurion nobilis, described for the Iberian Peninsula by Rivas-Martinez et al. (2001, 2002), framed in the order Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni, the Asparago acutifolii- Laurion nobilis is more mesophilous and, therefore, it can be included in the order Quercetalia ilicis (Gianguzzi et al. 2016a; Rivieccio et al. 2021).

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. brassicetosum drepanensis; 2 subnitrophilous and subsciaphilous wall vegetation (Athamantosiculae- Parietarietum judaicae); 3 Acantho mollis- Lauretum nobilis.

The 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.)]. The 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.

The island is characterized by very peculiar plant communities, which host many taxa of phytogeographic relevance, some of which endemic to the island. This 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). Therefore, 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). Therefore, 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.

Land use – The agro-silvo-pastoral activities that existed until recently on the island have gradually led to the disappearance or rarefaction of the woodlands that previously covered its slopes. However, it should be noted that Marettimo, unlike other Mediterranean territories, does not seem to have suffered the devastating impact of periodical fires, 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 firewood in the nearby coastal town of Trapani. Overall, the interruption of human activities and the absence of fires has brought about a significant advance in the evolution of the natural landscape.

The recent land-use change has led to both qualitative and quantitative variations in floristic and phytocoenotic diversity, through the progressive rarefaction, and sometimes 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.). This is countered by the recent random introduction of allochthonous species, particularly in the proximity of the village and tourist infrastructure (Gianguzzi et al. 2006).

Series and microgeoseries – On south-exposed coastal slopes, frequently affected 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 sylvestris rhamno oleoidis sigmetosum replaces the previously mentioned series. The head of the series is a maquis referred to the Ruto chalepensis- Oleetum sylvestris subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis (Gianguzzi and Bazan 2020a, 2020b); secondary aspects are represented 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 distachyae. The thermo-Mediterranean Dry to Subhumid belt is, however, dominated by the Erico multiflorae-Pino halepensis sigmetum, a pine forest series linked to more or less consolidated talus slopes at the base of the rocky cliffs. 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 recolonization 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 multiflora, ascribed to the association Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae (Brullo and Marcenò 1983), is dominant throughout the island. It occupies large areas up to the highest parts of the island, interfering with the different vegetation series present there, with some local floristic variants, depending on particular ecological 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 Thymbra capitata, or by Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus salviifolius. Along the ravines 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 Thymelaea tartonraira, occurs. These 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 limited to small residual sites near the coastline. This is probably due to isolation of the island even during the last glacial maxima, thus preserving it from climate change-related plant migrations.

The 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.

Endemic and rare species – According to literature data (Gianguzzi et al. 2006; Scuderi 2008; Brullo C. et al. 2009), the vascular flora of Marettimo consists of 499 taxa. There are eight species endemic to the island, three of which are palaeoendemic (Oncostema ughii, Bupleurum dianthifolium, Thymus richardii subsp. nitidus) and five schizoendemic (Allium franciniae, Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. messeriae, Limonium tenuiculum, Prospero hierae and Senecio aegadensis). In addition, another narrow-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 spicatus subsp. rupestris, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula, and Seseli bocconei. Some other endemics have a wider Tyrrhenian range, such as Crocus longiflorus, Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis, Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola, Iberis semperflorens, Glandora rosmarinifolia, Pimpinella anisoides, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa, Anthemis secundiramea, etc. The 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, Thymelaea tartonraira, and others.

Sampled plant communities

Moving from the town of Marettimo towards the southern part of the island, there is a relatively flat stretch of coastline, which is very different from the rest of the island, characterised by cliffs and crags that are rather steep and not always accessible (Fig. 5). Along this coast, it is possible to observe halophilous and scattered vegetation, represented towards the sea by the Limonietum tenuiculi, widespread throughout the island, both on low coasts and sea-facing cliffs (Fig. 3f).

Limonietum tenuiculi (After Brullo and Marcenò 1983: tab. 1, rels 1–13) – Diagnostic species: Limonium tenuiculum V, Senecio aegadensis IV, Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Crithmum maritimum V, Daucus carota subsp. drepanensis V, Lotus cytisoides V, Silene sedoides V, Reichardia picroides var. maritima V, Plantago macrorhiza III, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula III, Frankenia hirsuta III. Other species: Catapodium pauciflorum 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.

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. This plant community is more frequent along the north-east facing coast, in the upper part of the coastal cliffs, forming an ecotone between the halo-tolerant vegetation and the coastal garrigue or other inland vegetation.

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-Helichrysetum messerii; 3 Periploco angustifoliae-Euphorbietum dendroidis; 4 Micromeriofruticulosae- Ericetum multiflorae var. typicum; 5 Erico multiflorae-Pinetum halepensis; 6 Oleo sylvestris-Pistacietum lentisci; 7 Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae.

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 alliance, 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 IV, Silene sedoides III, Thymelaea 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 multiflora III, Catapodium rigidum III, Romulea bulbocodium II, Linum 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.

The southern slopes of Punta Bassana, characterised by clay-limestone substrates, are rather xeric and strongly affected by dry southerly winds, particularly the sirocco. These are colonized by a low scrub dominated by Periploca angustifolia and Euphorbia dendroides, accompanied by a few other species of the order Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni 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 multiflora 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 Micromeriofruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae (Fig. 8e); a relevé of this vegetation is reported below.

Micromeriofruticulosae- Ericetum multiflorae var. typicum – Ridge of Punta Bassana (37°57'04"N, 12°04'49"E): 86 m, 30°, SSE, 40%, 40 m². Diagnostic species: Salvia rosmarinus 3, Erica multiflora 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. This forest vegetation grows on rather steep slopes, essentially consisting of partially consolidated, frequently eroded, carbonatic screes. It develops mainly within the thermo-Mediterranean dry to subhumid bioclimatic belt and falls within the series of Erico multiflorae-Pineto halepensis sigmetum, whose more mature aspect is represented by Erico multiflorae-Pinetum 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 undergrowth. 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. These artificial 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 multiflorae-Pinetum halepensis (After Scuderi 2002, tab. 11, rels 1–5 sub Pistacio lentisci-Pinetum halepensis) – Diagnostic species: Pinus halepensis V, Salvia rosmarinus V. Erica multiflora 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 rupestris I, Colchicum cupani I.

Syntaxonomical note – According to Pesaresi et al. (2017) and Bonari et al. (2021), the Erico multiflorae-Pinetum halepensis must be arranged in the order Pinetalia 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). The class-level classification of Mediterranean pine forests is still a matter of debate. An official 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 officially advanced in 2021.

Among the main reasons why the authors of the proposal consider it appropriate to place Mediterranean pine forests in a different class from Quercetea ilicis is that there would be a better match in remote sensing of vegetation and land-cover classifications leading to a better correspondence with the broadly used systems of habitats or forest types, which usually, in the first place distinguish between broadleaved and coniferous forests. This proposal was critically evaluated by a panel of experts selected by the European Vegetation Classification Committee who have highlighted some critical issues in the research paper (Bonari et al. 2021) where the new class Pinetea halepensis was proposed. 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 classified 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 putative old anthropogenic pine plantations, which would, at least partially, contravene the very concept of “plant community” composed of species ecologically coherent 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 different 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 related to conifer forests that are currently classified within classes dominated by broadleaved tree species (evergreen or deciduous). The final 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 species 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 Micromeriofruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae, which are represented not only in their typical aspect, but also in the variants with Thymbra capitata, Cistus monspeliensis and Ampelodesmos mauritanicus framed in the alliance Polygalo preslii-Ericion multiflorae (class Ononido-Rosmarinetea). In addition to the typical stands (with Globularia alypum and Coronilla valentina subsp. 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 Thymbra capitata, Cistus monspeliensis, and Ampelodesmos mauritanicus.

Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae var. typicum – Marettimo, Contrada 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 multiflora +, Globularia alypum 1, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca +. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Ononis minutissima +, Cistus monspeliensis 1, Phagnalon saxatile +, Cistus creticus subsp. creticus +. Other species: Pistacia lentiscus 2, Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta 2, Brachypodium retusum 2, Avena barbata 2, Scorpiurus subvillosus 1, Ruta chalepensis +, Euphorbia dendroides +, Catapodium rigidum +, Carex hallerana +, Coronilla scorpioides +, Trachynia distachya +, Leontodon tuberosum +, Linum strictum +, Arisarum vulgare +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Melica minuta +, Lysimachia loeflingii +, 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 multiflora 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 +, Sonchus tenerrimus +, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula +, Poterium sanguisorba subsp. balearicum +, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus +, Lysimachia arvensis r, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica r, Centranthus calcitrapae r, Anemone hortensis 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 multiflora +, 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 +.

Syntaxonomical note – The maquis with P. lentiscus is quite widespread in the Mediterranean region, where various associations are reported, such as Oleo-Pistacietum lentisci Molinier 1954, Cneoro-Pistacietum lentisci O. Bolos et R. Molinier (1969) 1984, and Myrto-Pistacietum lentisci (Molinier 1954 em. O. Bolos 1962) Rivas-Martinez 1975, the latter occurring also on Marettimo.

Above the village of Marettimo, along the initial part of a paved track leading to the locality named Case Romane, there are compact limestone outcrops colonized by a sparse garrigue dominated by Thymbra capitata. This vegetation can be considered a variant of the Micromeriofruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae, a relevé of which is reported below.

Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae var. with Thymbra capitata – Slightly above the Marettimo village (37°58'04"N, 12°04'14"E): 47 m, 25°, NE, 85 m². Diagnostic species: Thymbra capitata 4, Erica multiflora 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 maritima subsp. sicula +, Lonicera implexa +, Ruta chalepensis +, Leontodon tuberosum +, Anemone hortensis +, Fedia graciliflora +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Linum strictum +, Linum usitatissimum subsp. angustifolium +, Rubia peregrina +, Euphorbia peplis +, Valerianella dentata +, Macrobriza maxima +, Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. maura +, Reichardia 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 (Pistacio lentisci-Querco ilicis sigmetum) develops on carbonatic soils. The 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). These small forest patches, occurring also at Pianoro della Craparizza, Pizzo delle Fragole and between the localities Stincazzi and Scaturro, represent relict flaps 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 multiflora 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 Micromeriofruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae. A relevé of this garrigue, widespread over large areas in the upper part of Marettimo, is reported below.

Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae 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 multiflora 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 graciliflora +, Hypochoeris achyrophorus +, Colchicum bivonae +.

This garrigue is often compenetrated with a hemicryptophic vegetation dominated by Brachypodium retusum, particularly on steep stony slopes, that are covered by a vegetation 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 differentiated 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). This 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, testified 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 of alliance, order and class: Pistacia lentiscus 1, Daphne gnidium +, Carex hallerana 1, Cyclamen repandum 1. Other species: Erica multiflora 2, Salvia rosmarinus 1, Cistus creticus subsp. creticus 1, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula +, Anemone hortensis +.

Syntaxonomic notes – The 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 thermophilous association of holm oak wood named Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis. In this paper, the authors included the Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis that they had previously described for Marettimo in the ecological range of Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis, 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, Theurillat 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 associations clearly stated that these two communities represent, in fact, different 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 superfluous (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. The possible solutions to this question are essentially two. The first 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. The second solution is to refer to Art. 52 of the 4^th edition of the ICPN and to propose to the Committee for Change and Conservation of Names (CCCN) the adoption of Pistacio lentisci-Quercetum ilicis as nomen conservandum over its earlier heterotypic name (syntaxonomic synonym) Daphno sericeae-Quercetum ilicis. While waiting for this proposal to be officially 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.

The summit of Pizzo Falcone (Fig. 6), sloping steeply towards the coast, dominates the whole island. The imposing cliffs 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.). These cliffs, especially those facing north and north-east, are rich in endemites and species of relevant taxonomic and phytogeographic value. The chasmophytic vegetation of Marettimo was referred by Brullo and Marcenò (1979) to the Bupleuro-Scabosetum limonifoliae, association framed into the alliance Dianthion rupicolae (Asplenietalia glandulosi, Asplenietea trichomanis).

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 multiflorae var. with Cistus salviifolius.

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, Thymus richardii subsp. nitidus II. Characteristics of alliance, order and class: Seseli bocconei V, Iberis semperflorens V, Hexaphylla rupestris V, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia IV, Glandora rosmarinifolia IV, Dianthus 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 spicatus subsp. rupestris I. Other species: Erica multiflora 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, Pistacia 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 multiflorae, sometimes mixed with Brachypodium retusum grassland, differentiated by the occurrence of Coronilla 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 glomerata 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.

These 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 multiflorae-Pino halepensis sigmetum). While proceeding towards Contrada Rumurale, the path crosses the valley of the Ficarello stream, overlooked by the rocky walls of Pizzo Falcone. This scenic route leads along the ridges of Pizzo Madonnuzza and descends to Contrada Libbano, where it is possible to observe very interesting stands of chasmophytic vegetation, belonging to Bupleuro dianthifolii-Scabiosetum limonifoliae, notably rich in endemic species, such as Bupleurum dianthifolium, Oncostema ughii (Fig. 8b), Thymus reichardii subsp. nitidus, Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. messeriae, Brassica macrocarpa, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia, Hexaphylla rupestris, Seseli bocconei, Dianthus rupicola, Iberis semperflorens, 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.

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 multiflorae-Pinetum halepensis; 2 Coronillo glaucae-Brachypodietum retusi; 3 Micromerio fruticulosae-Ericetum multiflorae var. typicum; 4 Rhamno alaterni-Euphorbietum dendroidis subass. rhamnetosum oleoidis; 5 Catapodio pauciflori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova; 6 Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii; 7 Limonietum tenuiculi.

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 multiflora 2, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus 2, Allium subhirsutum 2, Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula 2, Micromeria graeca subsp. fruticulosa +, Phagnalon saxatile +, Leontodon tuberosus +, Clinopodium nepeta +, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica +, Squilla pancration +.

Towards the sea, within halo-subhalophilous associations, such as Limonietum tenuiculi and Senecioni bicoloris-Helichrysetum messerii, an interesting ephemeral vegetation 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 association, proposed as Catapodio pauciflori-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. This coastal association, usually linked to outcrops 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.