Match Algorithms for Scientific Names in FlorItaly, the Portal to the Flora of Italy

Scientific names are not part of everyday language in any modern country, and their input as strings in a query system can be easily associated with typographical errors. While globally unique identifiers univocally address a taxon name, they can hardly be used for querying a database manually. Thus, matching algorithms are often used to overcome misspelled names in query systems in several data repositories worldwide. In order to improve users’ experience in the use of FlorItaly, the Portal to the Flora of Italy, a near match algorithm to resolve misspelled scientific names has been integrated in the query systems. In addition, a novel tool in FlorItaly, capable of rapidly aligning any list of names to the nomenclatural backbone provided by the national checklists, has been developed. This manuscript aims at describing the potential of these new tools.

Report 2020 on plant biodiversity in Italy: native and alien vascular flora

This paper provides an updated overview, based on nomenclatural, taxonomical and distribution data, on the native and alien vascular flora of Italy, with details on the occurrence at national and regional administrative level. Recently described taxa occurring in Italy, which were not included in the checklists published in 2018, are listed. The list of extinct or possibly extinct native taxa and that of alien taxa of EU concern are updated.

FlorItaly – the portal to the Flora of Italy

Digital data concerning the flora of Italy are largely fragmented among different resources hosted on different platforms, and often with different data standards, which are neither connected by a common access point, nor by web services, thus constituting a relevant obstacle to data access and usage. Taxonomic incongruences add a further complication. This paper describes “FlorItaly”, an online information system which allows to access and query updated information on the checklist of the flora of Italy, aiming at becoming an aggregator for Italian botanical resources. “FlorItaly” was developed in a collaborative effort by more than 50 taxonomists, with the support of the Italian Botanical Society, and of Project “Dryades” (University of Trieste), to provide a better and reliable organization of botanical knowledge in Italy, as well as a relevant simplification for data retrieval, and a further stimulus towards a more collaborative approach in botanical research.

New nomenclatural changes for hybrids of Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae s. str.)

As part of the ongoing studies of the genus Amaranthus Linnaeus (1753: 990) and in the course of the preparation of a new checklist of the vascular plants alien to the flora of Italy (see e.g., Iamonico 2015, 2016; Galasso et al. 2016, 2018), following the checklist of vascular plants native to Italy (Bartolucci et al. 2018), we present here a note regarding some names applied to hybrids of Amaranthus.

First record for the flora of Italy and lectotypification of the name Linum elegans (Linaceae)

Linum elegans has been detected in calcareous rocky garrigues on the Gargano promontory (Apulia, SE-Italy), representing the first record for the Italian flora and the first one outside the Balkan Peninsula. The geographical disjunction may provide evidence for past amphi-Adriatic/amphi-Ionic terrestrial connections. The population found was ascribed to L. campanulatum in the past. As a consequence, a comparison between these two species is undertaken. Furthermore, the name L. elegans is here lectotypified on a specimen preserved at G, and the IUCN assessment of the species in Italy is briefly discussed.

A new name in Sagina, Sagina alexandrae (Caryophyllaceae)

As part of the ongoing studies on the taxonomy and nomenclature of genera belonging to Caryophyllaceae Juss., contributing to the new edition of the Flora of Italy (see e.g., Iamonico 2013, 2014, 2016, Iamonico & Domina 2014, Iamonico & Sánchez Del Pino 2016, Vallariello et al. 2016), I here present a short note concerning a European species of Sagina Linnaeus (1753: 128) which is currently known as Sagina subulata (Swartz 1789: 45‒46) Presl (1826: 158).

Taxonomic revision of the genus Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) in Italy

A taxonomic revision of the genus Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) in Italy is here presented. Field surveys were carried out during the period 2006–2014. 58 herbaria (both European and American, including 12 personal herbaria) were consulted (more than 3,000 specimens were examined) as well as extensive literature was analized. Twenty-seven non-hybrid taxa (twenty-four species, and six varieties) are recognized (A. crassipes and A. graecizans subsp. graecizans are considered doubtful for the flora of Italy). Three taxa (A. blitum, A. cacciatoi, and A. graecizans subsp. sylvestris) are native, one (A. bouchonii) has doubtful origin, while the others are to be considered aliens, mostly neophytes native to the Americas. Information about nomenclature (accepted names, main synonyms, and types), morphology, chromosome number, chorology (for native taxa) or alien status (for exotic taxa, at national and regional levels), occurrence in Italy (at regional scale), ecology (preferential habitat, phenology, elevation), taxonomic annotations are provided for each taxon, as well as original photos were prepared. Diagnostic keys at species and infraspecific levels (for A. blitum subsp. blitum s.l., A. emarginatus s.l., and A. graecizans s.l.) are given. An isolectotype for the name A. bouchonii was found at Z. A list of the seven hybrids recorded and their main morphological characteristics are also given. Among them, A. × mauritii is recorded in the present study for the first time in Italy. The nomenclatural change Amaranthus × pyxidatus comb. et stat. nov. is proposed. Two specimens preserved at MPU are designated as lectotype and isolectotype of the name A. × mauritii s.s., while for A. × mauritii f. ramosissima the holotype was found; the two names are to be considered heterotypic synonyms (new synonymy).

Typification of Láng’s names in Polycnemum (Amaranthaceae s.l.)

As part of the treatment of Polycnemum by D. Iamonico for a new edition of the Flora of Italy (e.g., Iamonico 2011, 2012, 2013), and the ongoing taxonomic revision of the genus in Europe (Iamonico et al., in prep.), we hereby typify the names in Polycnemum Linnaeus (1753: 35) introduced by the Hungarian pharmacist and botanist, A.F. Láng (1795–1863). Láng’s contribution to European Polycnemum taxonomy was substantial, because of the currently accepted four species (Ball 1993), two [P. heuffelii Láng (1828: 219), P. verrucosum Láng (1824: 179)] were described by him. The greatest part of his huge herbarium (ca 60.000 specimens) was moved to Austria (Gombocz 1936), but many of his specimens are scattered in different herbaria worldwide.