Research Article |
Corresponding author: Riccardo Pennesi ( riccardo.pennesi90@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Fabrizio Bartolucci
© 2023 Riccardo Pennesi, Emilia Cunto, Sandro Ballelli.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Pennesi R, Cunto E, Ballelli S (2023) First record of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides (Apiaceae) in Italy. Italian Botanist 15: 65-76. https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.15.98538
|
The occurrence of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides, a species distributed in the Balkan Peninsula, Greece, southern Caucasus, Turkey and southern Russia, is reported here for the first time in Italy. It was discovered in Calabria (southern Italy) in the Argentino River Valley and along the Abatemarco River (municipality of Cosenza), localities partly included within the Pollino National Park. Information about taxonomy, nomenclature, habitat, phytosociology and distribution of this species in Italy are provided.
Apennine, Calabria, Peucedanum, Umbelliferae, vascular flora
Apiaceae Lindl. is a cosmopolitan family comprising 466 genera and about 3,820 species, found most widely in temperate Eurasia and North America (
Peucedanum sensu lato, distributed in Eurasia and Africa, is one of the most taxonomically complex groups in the Apiaceae (
During field surveys in southern Italy (Calabria administrative region) carried out in 2016, we discovered several individuals of an unknown species belonging to the Apiaceae not corresponding to any recorded taxon for the Italian vascular flora (
The purpose of this study was to verify the correct identification of this disjunct population occurring in southern Italy and to distinguish it from related genera occurring in Italy. Furthermore, to increase knowledge on the Italian vascular flora, we provide taxonomic, phytosociological, and distributive data relating to this new finding.
Field investigations were carried out in September 2016 in Calabria (southern Italy) along the Abatemarco River (Santa Maria del Cedro, Cosenza; WGS 84: 39°44'25"N, 15°52'04.6"E, Fig.
Careful surveys of relevant literature to find existing records of the species in Italy were performed (
≡ Physospermum aegopodioides Boiss., Fl. Orient. [Boissier] 2: 923 (1872).
≡ Peucedanum aegopodioides (Boiss.) Vandas, Sitzungsber. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss., Math.-Naturwiss. Cl. 1888: 449 (1889).
≡ Cervaria aegopodioides (Boiss.) Pimenov, Vestn. Moskovsk. Gosud. Univ., ser. 16, Biol. 4: 37 (1982).
“Hab. supra Brusnik in districtu Bitolia Macedoniae (Orph!)”.
(see
(Figs
Rhizomatophora aegopodioides is distributed in the Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, and Serbia), Greece (central-eastern and central-northern; northern and southern Pindus), southern Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), Turkey, southern Russia (
In Italy, it grows in hygrophilous forests, alder forests, riverbanks, and freshwater habitats at about 100–200 m a.s.l. The results of one relevé carried out in the Santa Maria Del Cedro locality are shown in Table
Relevé on Santa Maria del Cedro, middle stretch of the Abatemarco River, 25/09/2016, 127 m a.s.l. (WGS 84: 39°44'25.6"N, 15°52'04.6"E). The nomenclature of the cited species and subspecies follows
Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. (1.1); Populus nigra subsp. nigra (1.1); Rhizomatophora aegopodioides (Boiss.) Pimenov (3.3); Carex pendula Huds. (3.3); Solanum dulcamara L. (2.2); Mentha aquatica subsp. aquatica (1.2); Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. (1.1); Brachypodium sylvaticum (Huds.) P.Beauv. (+.2); Juncus conglomeratus L. (+.2); Tussilago farfara L. (+.2); Vinca major subsp. major (+.2); Bidens tripartita subsp. tripartita (+); Cirsium creticum subsp. triumfettii (Lacaita) K.Werner (+); Clematis vitalba L. (+); Convolvulus sepium L. (+); Epilobium hirsutum L. (+); Epilobium parviflorum Schreb. (+); Eupatorium cannabinum subsp. cannabinum (+); Ficus carica L. (+); Geranium versicolor L. (+); Lamium maculatum L. (+); Melissa officinalis subsp. altissima (Sm.) Arcang. (+); Persicaria maculosa Gray (+); Pulicaria dysenterica (L.) Bernh. (+); Rubia peregrina L. (+); Salvia glutinosa L. (+). |
Flowering in August-September, fruiting in September-October.
2n = 22 (
The monotypic genus Rhizomatophora Pimenov is characterized by perennial plants, growing in hygrophilous forests, alder forests, riverbanks, wetlands, and freshwater habitats. This genus is morphologically close to Cervaria s.str. and Peucedanum s.str. In Italy, according to
Morphological characters distinguishing Rhizomatophora aegopodioides (Calabrian population) from related genera of the Italian flora. Morphological features of Peucedanum and Cervaria follow
Morphological characters | Rhizomatophora | Peucedanum s.str. | Cervaria s.str. |
---|---|---|---|
Height | 70–120 cm | 20–200 cm | 20–150 cm |
Leaves | 2–3 ternatisect | 2–6 ternate | 2–3 pinnatisect |
Leaves margin | dentate-apiculate segments | linear segments | dentate-apiculate segments |
Umbel rays (primary rays) | 20–35, unequal, slender, minutely scabrous mainly on one side | 4–50 | 9–35, pubescent-scabrous on internal side |
Bracts | 0, 3 or 6, lesiniform | 0–6, lesiniform | 4–15, linear, reflexed |
Bracteoles | erect, numerous, always present | numerous | reflexed, numerous |
Petals | white, largely ovate, swollen lobes | white to yellow | white |
Petal apex | erect, slightly emarginated | curved towards the center of the flower (inflexed) | curved towards the center of the flower (inflexed) |
Mericarps | 5 × 6.5–7 mm, glabrous, broadly winged (1.5–2 mm), elliptical or almost round | 4–4.5 × 6.5–12 mm, winged (0.5–2 mm), elliptical or oblong | 3–4.5 × 4–9 mm, winged (0.5–1.4 mm), elliptical or suborbicular |
Dorsal ribs | evident, filiform | evident | inconspicuous |
Italy. Calabria, Orsomarso (Cosenza), initial section of the Argentino River Valley (39°47'42.6"N, 15°55'18.0"E), esp. west, alt. 130–150 m. a.s.l., banks and surrounding wetlands, calcareous substr., 26 September 2016; S. Ballelli, R. Pennesi, E. Cunto s.n. (CAME); Calabria, Santa Maria del Cedro (Cosenza), along the middle section of the Abatemarco River (39°44'25.6"N, 15°52'04.6"E), 120–140 m. a.s.l., banks and surrounding wetlands, calcareous substr., 25 September 2016, S. Ballelli, R. Pennesi, E. Cunto s.n. (CAME); Greece. Greece, prope Bitolia Macedoniae, 06 August 1862, T.G. Orphanides 1017 (JE barcodes JE00000057 [digital photo!], JE00000058 [digital photo!]); prope Vodena Macedoniae, s.d., T.G. Orphanides 1017 (W No. 1889-0024958 [digital photo!]; Serbia. Jugozapadna: Priboj, Sjeverin (Sutjeska reka-klisura, dornji deo), 43°35.266'N, 19°22.225'E, stene, krecnjak, 400–450 m, 13 August 2008, Niketic M., Tomovic G. s.n. (BEOU No. 27989!); Prvriek, dist. Vranja, ad rivulos, G. Ilić s n. (BEO No. 16105!); Serbia austr. prope Wranja. G. Ilić s.n. (W No. 1895-0000240 [digital photo!]); Bulgaria. Bei Lowtsche, 4 July 1898, Urumoff s.n. (W No. 1926-0027189 [digital photo!]); Bosnia and Herzegovina. In glareosis calcareis faucis Prača, 570 m.; alt. 570 m, 20 July 1920, K. Malý s.n. (W No. 1961-0005131 [digital photo!]).
The discovery of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides in Italy is particularly relevant because it provides a contribution to the knowledge on its distribution at the European level. The genus Rhizomatophora is new for Italy, which hosts the richest vascular flora in Europe, and is second in the Mediterranean area only to Turkey (
In our opinion, further field surveys are indispensable to define the effective distribution area and ecology of R. aegopodioides in Italy, and to understand the origin of these disjointed populations. Furthermore, it would be desirable to monitor the species in order to assess the conservation status of the population described here.
We would like to thank Dmitar Lakušić and his staff at the Herbarium of Belgrade University (BEOU) and Marjan Niketić at the Herbarium of Belgrade Natural History Museum (BEO) for providing the herbarium specimens.