Table of Contents

This is the first contribution to the study of Parapholis and Hainardia (Poaceae) in Albania. New taxa for the Albanian flora are reported for Parapholis (P. marginata and P. strigosa), together with the results of a comprehensive cytotaxonomic study of this genus, and a general taxonomic arrangement for Hainardia and Parapholis is provided, comparing the results with the corresponding data from adjacent Adriatic areas.

Alibotush Reserve is located in Slavyanka Mountain, Southwestern Bulgaria, near the state border with Greece. It was established as protected area in 1951 and currently covers 1638.12 ha, which is about 25% of the Bulgarian territory of the mountain. It has the strictest protection regime according to Bulgaria’s national legislation and corresponds to IUCN category Ia. The article aims to present and analyse the floristic and habitat diversity of the reserve. Altogether 611 species, 287 genera and 72 families of vascular plants are reported for the area. The most species-rich families are Asteraceae, Caryophyllaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae. The biological spectrum of the flora, both in respect to biological types and life forms, shows strong prevalence of herbaceous perennials, respectively, hemicryptophytes. The endemism is relatively high – ca. 11.5%. The species of conservation concern are 54 (8.8%) and most of them are xerophytes and heliophytes. List of the vascular plant species recorded in the field or from earlier literature sources is provided. The habitat diversity is represented by 13 habitat types. Woodland vegetation dominates and covers 1330.5 ha in total, whereas grasslands are represented by 4 habitat types and cover 110.7 ha. A map of the habitats is provided.

On the occurrence of Atriplex canescens (Amaranthaceae) in Algeria: ecology, taxonomy and biogeography. – Atriplex canescens var. gigantea is recorded for the first time for the non-native flora of Algeria. The description of the finding locality, taxonomic notes and detailed distribution are provided.

The floristic composition of pistachio-woodland (Pistacieta atlantici) of Georgia (South Caucasus) is studied. 250 species of vascular plants, which belong to 174 genera and 50 families, were recorded. Floristic structure, composition of chorotypes and life forms are commented. Based on the systematic structure of this flora and composition of chorotypes, 3 the main directions of florogenetic connections are identified: 1. South-West Asia, 2. Mediterranean, 3. Eurasian steppe. Attenuated form shows the impact of Iran-Turan deserts and connections to Europe. It was found that the formation of pistachio-woodland of Georgia was implemented in the bosom of Ancient Mediterranean with close contact with the boreal flora. Connection with savannas is not observed.

Mt Tzena is located in the northernmost part of North-Central Greece. A first floristic inventory of the mountain is presented based on an intensive field collection and literature records. The vascular flora of the study area consists of 1254 specific and subspecific taxa out of which 858 taxa are reported for the first time.

The Mediterranean coastal land is one of the richest phyto-geographic territories of Egypt owing to its relatively high rainfall. Sallum sector is situated in the Libyan-Egyptian border. This study deals with, the vegetation covers in different habitats, floristic composition, species richness, species diversity, and chorotypes in Sallum sector. The current floristic composition was compared to that from the last ten decades, to elucidate: the past-present and the future vegetation trend; the change in floristic composition through these decades; trace the impact of climatic changes represented by temperature and rainfall. And, trace the desert expansion as the spatial distribution of the SaharoSindian chorotype. The combined dataset has demonstrated a poleward species sift, notable differences in their response to shortage in rainfall and increased temperatures, were observed among the recorded chorotypes and the species composition across studied habitat range. The SaharoSindian chorotype showed poleward expansion. The retrieved data including, a decline in the total number of the recorded species, changes in their distribution range, recording the timing erosion and the northward expansion of some indicator species. The decline in mean annual rainfall was inconsistent with positive shift in the mean maximum temperature with 1.5˚C. Northward expansion of xerophytes and loss of species diversity through the studied successive decades. Such study provides a case s...

Solanum rostratum (Solanaceae): a new invasive xerophyte for the flora of Algeria. – The authors report in this paper the presence of a new taxa for the Algerian flora. It is Solanum rostratum, an invasive plant well known for its high spreading capacity and a threat potential to natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Some reflections resulting from this discovery are mentioned in particular the economic and ecological values of the plant as well as the threats linked to its possible spread across the country.

Vascular plants new or rare for Tunisia occurring on the islands (Galite, Zembra, Kuriat, Monastir, Kerkennah, Kneiss, Djerba). – This study concerns the indigenous vascular plants newly reported for Tunisia and discovered on the islands during some field trips performed since 2014. Five native taxa are new to Tunisia: Bellis perennis, Carthamus creticus, Moraea mediterranea, Asplenium balearicum and Galium minutulum, the latter two also being new to North Africa. Information on 24 rare or poorly known taxa, most often of great biogeographical interest, is given, too. Most of these were discovered on the islands of the eastern coast (Kuriat, Monastir, Kerkennah, Kneiss, Djerba), but also on the northern islands of Zembra and La Galite. The new chorological data underline the first-rate conservation importance of these islands and islets for the preservation of the overall coastal biodiversity of Tunisia

Dinebra retroflexa was collected for the first time in Gharb in 2015 and 2017, and in Tadla in 2015. Cenchrus longispinus has been found in sandy soils in Rabat in 1985 and 1988, and in Larache in 2015. Heavy stands of both species observed at the collection sites in 2015 and 2017 suggested that both grasses are considered troublesome weeds in cultivated crops. This paper gives a brief description, distribution, and biology of both weeds.

Recent field work by the authors on the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) yielded new interesting records of non-native species. Seven species, i.e. Centaurea sulphurea, Clematis flammula, Fallopia baldschuanica, Fraxinus angustifolia, Melilotus officinalis, Saponaria officinalis, and Searsia lancea have not been recorded before from the Canary Islands, whereas 13 species (Bellis perennis, Centaurea diluta, Chlorophytum comosum, Chondrilla juncea, Cyperus papyrus, Delphinium ajacis, Helianthus annuus, Lonicera japonica, Lupinus pilosus, Montanoa bipinnatifida, Ornithogalum arabicum, Trifolium cernuum, and Wigandia caracasana) are reported for the first time from Gran Canaria. The actual presence of five further species (Chenopodium vulvaria, Fallopia convolvulus, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Paspalum dilatatum, and Volutaria tubuliflora) – all considered doubtful, recently discovered or with only historical occurrences in Gran Canaria – is confirmed. Chorological and ecological details are presented for these species and their invasion status is assessed. Many of them are reputed weeds, either agriculturally or environmentally

The Cape marigold (Arctotheca calendula): a new exotic species for the Algerian flora. – The authors report the recent discovery in Algeria of a xenophyte belonging to the Asteraceae. Arctotheca calendula, native to South Africa, was observed for the first time, in the northeast of the country (Oriental Numidia)

An investigation on the species of Lactuca occurring in the Maltese Islands was carried out on 105 populations in natural habitats and 15 herbarium specimens. The main aim was to revise the four Lactuca species reported in historical literature of which the occurrence of L. virosa was doubtful, whereas L. saligna has not been reported for the last 30 years or more. Results confirmed the presence of three species: the agricultural cultivated crop Lactuca sativa; the frequently occurring L. serriola (both f. serriola and f. integrifolia) and the rediscovery of L. saligna from Gozo. L. virosa was not confirmed in this study and is considered as a past misidentification that persisted till present date derived from the misconception that the leaves of L. virosa are entire, whereas those of L. serriola are lobed. Achenes morphology and leaf characters were used for the determination of the species, and consequently, magnified images of the achenes and their morpho-metric assessment are given. The variation and infraspecific taxa of L. serriola are also discussed based on field findings. A brief account on the history of Lactuca species in Malta, a distributional map and an identification key are also given.

The stands of Fraxinus dimorpha (Oleaceae) in the Western Ksour Mountains (South West Algeria): phytocenotic diversity, structural dynamics and conservation prospectives. – Fraxinus dimorpha is a threatened species appearing on the IUCN red list. It structures a valuable preforest heritage in the Western Ksour Mountains (Algeria), both for its ecological and social value. Thus, the aim of this first study is to contribute to the knowledge of the floristic diversity and the structural dynamics of Fraxinus dimorpha stands in this area. The floristic diversity’s analysis of Fraxinus dimorpha preforests in western Ksour Mountains has revealed the existence of 188 specific and subspecific taxa belonging to 40 families and 145 genera. The biogeographic spectrum indicates the dominance of Mediterranean taxa with 95 species. 30 endemic species have been identified of which 19 are Algerian-Moroccan ones. The Analysis of biological types indicated the dominance of therophytes over the other life forms (69 taxa, or 36.70%). The study of structural dynamics (diametric classes) showed the dominance of perches (42%), little wood (37%) and medium wood (21%).

This paper provides information about the diversity of lignicolous fungi in communities of Juniperus excelsa in the Special area of conservation of NATURA 2000 “Kresna-Ilindentsi” in the Valley of Struma river floristic region, Bulgaria, where its associations is best developed. Six new species for the Bulgarian fungi are reported for the first time. New chorological data concerning three lignicolous fungi is presented too. Two of the recorded taxa, Antrodia juniperina and Pyrofomes demidoffii have high conservation value, assessed with the recent IUCN criteria, as dangerous parasites or saprobes on J. excelsa. Their role as indicators of the Greek juniper populations’ state was evaluated

This paper deals with ten bulbous species that are new to the Tunisian allochthonous flora, Chasmanthe floribunda, Freesia alba, Gladiolus murielae, Hippeastrum puniceum, Hymenocallis littoralis, Narcissus papyraceus subsp. papyraceus, Nothoscordum gracile, Tulbaghia violacea, Zephyranthes candida and Z. rosea. Moreover, six of them are new aliens to North Africa and one genus has not been reported before in the Mediterranean area. All reported plants have been introduced since many years mainly as ornamentals, subsequently escaped in the wild.

Species interaction plays a central role in structuring plant communities. However, few studies have investigated the nature of species interaction among different life forms along a productivity gradient. The current study is aimed to investigate the nature of life forms interactions and its impact on production of annual grasses grown in semiarid Mediterranean areas. Competition treatments (absence/presence of neighbours) were applied in randomized complete block design over two growing seasons. Relative interaction index (RII) was used to measure competition intensity. RII standardizes the reduction in growth of one species due to presence of neighbour species. Competition reduced grass biomass production by approximately 15%. Competition role was eliminated under low productivity conditions. Results showed that competition may limit the direct effect of defoliation on dominant grass species. Further, competition effect on dominant annual grasses showed positive and negative effects in relation to site productivity and best explained by a sinusoidal model. This hypothesized sinusoidal model suggests that facilitation and competition are alternatively affecting grassland communities along productivity gradient. The nature of interaction changes with changing community productivity revealing a cyclic pattern. The reflection points where interaction switches from facilitation to competition may explain the mechanism of maintaining high species diversity at intermedi...

The coast of Mostaganem (Algeria), an "important area for plants" (ZIP) as much neglected as threatened. – The flora of the coastline of Mostaganem still till nowadays remains very little known, even though it has been historically very well studied, like the whole Oran’s coastal area. The objective of our study is to inventory the local plant diversity and define its state of conservation with a view to possible recognition of the region as an Important Plant Area (IPA). We used the criteria of irreplaceability, rarity, endemism, protection and threat for each taxon. A total of 54 species and/or subspecies with patrimonial value distributed over all of the 15 studied sites, including 9 IPA trigger species distributed over 11 of the 15 sites. This therefore justifies the consideration of two IPAs, one concerning the entire coastline on both sides of the town of Mostaganem whereas the other concerning the entire lower Cheliff valley. Several taxa have already disappeared from some coastal sites, and a historic coastal site has already been completely depleted in trigger and patrimonial taxa. Despite the legal protection of some of these species, their biotopes continue to be degraded or even destroyed by urbanization and tourist development on the coast. Controlling these developments by raising awareness among the authorities, and reducing tourist pressure by raising public awareness is a priority to be undertaken urgently for the conservation of the plant dive...

The distribution in Italy of Xeranthemum cylindraceum, an annual herbaceous species of Asteraceae, up to now indicated only for most of the peninsular regions, is examined. The geographical distribution of this species in the Italian regions is provided on the basis of the specimens preserved in FI. In addition, there is an unpublished record from Sicily. In this island the species is therefore reported for the first time. It was found in the territory of Erice (Trapani), in a meadow on calcareous soils, on the northern slopes of Mt S. Giuliano.

Considering the growing interest that wild brassicas have as sources of bioactive molecules as well as a genetic resource, the authors review and update the taxonomy of Brassica sect. Brassica, limited to the native flora of Sicily, an island considered to be an active diversification center for the group of species of the aforementioned section. Regarding the taxonomic aspects, Brassica tardarae is here considered a subspecies of B. rupestris; the distinction at the subspecific level of B. raimondoi, a critical taxon included in B. incana, is also confirmed. In addition, two new subspecies are proposed, respectively in B. incana and B. rupestris. The taxonomic information relating to the taxa reported is enriched by synthetic chorological data. A thorough examination of the literature concerning the chemical aspects and biological activity of some Sicilian taxa referred to Brassica sect. Brassica, allowed to highlight not only important bioactive molecules such as glucosinolates, but also the demonstrated biological activities. From these studies, therefore, the enormous potential of Sicilian wild cabbages emerges, not only as a recognized genetic resource, but also as a biological and nutraceutical one. This would demonstrate the considerable economic importance of these plants which can have positive effects on the innovation of agricultural production.

Discovery of Epipactis microphylla (Orchidaceae) in Djebel Babor (north-eastern Algeria), a new orchid for North Africa. — Epipactis microphylla is a European-Hyrcanian, forest mycoheterotrophic species, widespread in temperate and submeridional zones, from Andalusia to the Caspian Sea. This orchid has been discovered in Djebel Babor, in northeastern Algeria, in a mixed undergrowth of Cedars, Zean oaks and Holm oaks, where it is to date the only known resort in North Africa. This discovery confirms the interest of Babors’ Kabylia in general and the new Babor-Tababort National Park in particular

The Mediterranean Basin with all its islands encompasses a high diversity of plant species. Nonetheless, floristic overviews of these islands are often incomplete or lacking entirely and as a result they have an increased chance of harboring undescribed taxa. In 2014, I stumbled on such a likely new taxon belonging to the mammosa-complex of the genus Ophrys (Orchidaceae) on Antikythera, Greece. Therefore, in March 2018, I organized a 3 week orchid survey on the island during which 14226 specimens of 12 species were recorded, including the new taxon Ophrys aegilica. It mostly resembles O. taigetica, but differs from this species in habitat preference and flowering time, as well as a few morphological features (e.g. size of the petals). Furthermore, I report on the local status of other orchid species on Antikythera, including 4 which have not previously been observed on the island: Anacamptis papilionacea subsp. aegaea, -Neotinea maculata_, Ophrys bombyliflora, and O. attica. For at least three species their occurrence on Antikythera marks the border of their distributional range in Greece. These results underline the importance of botanical surveys on Mediterranean islands during winter and early spring in order to get a complete picture of the occurrence and distribution of plant species. For the future conservation of orchids on Antikythera it is important that the vegetation keeps its open character, especially on former agricultural terraces,...

Mount Limbara is located in the north-eastern part of Sardinia (Italy). It is the third highest peak of the island and covers an area of 262.47 km². In the past, the studies concerning the flora of this mountain interested only restricted sectors or specific taxa, but a comprehensive floristic study of the whole territory was lacking. An annotated flora of the vascular flora growing in this area is here presented, based on field surveys carried out from 1993 to 2020, on the analysis of literature and on a review of specimens from five herbaria. The flora of Mount Limbara amounts to 1,147 taxa grouped in 46 orders, 120 families and 486 genera. The endemic and subendemic taxa are 86, while the alien flora consists of 137 taxa. The number of alien taxa is mostly related to human introduction. Among the taxa recorded in the past, 69 are here excluded and considered doubtful while 41 taxa are not confirmed. We compared the flora of Mount Limbara with that of other Sardinian mountains, highlighting the importance of this area, which appears to have the richest mountain flora of Sardinia, but also of the non-native flora. Finally, 132 taxa included in the Italian lists of threatened plants grow in the massif, thus adding conservation value to the study area.

Ephedra fragilis is a very rare plant in peninsular Italy. The only formerly known locality of this species is located at San Ferdinando, Calabria. The present survey, extended to 60 coastal and subcoastal localities of central-southern Italy, re-found and re-evaluated the conservation status (which resulted improved) of the already known locality of the studied species and found a new locality at Capo Bruzzano, Calabria. Unfortunately, in spite of the wide investigated area, the survey didn’t find any new population outside the Calabrian territory

Vitex trifolia (Lamiaceae) is recorded for the first time for the non-native vascular flora of Tunisia and North Africa. Morphological description, distribution and habitat, as well as taxonomic notes, are provided. Original discriminant characters and a key of the genus in North Africa are also given

The typification of the name Cistus ×canescens (Cistaceae) is discussed. The designation of the nomenclatural type is based on the assessment of the protologue and the original elements used by the author to describe this plant. The name is lectotypified using an illustration included in the protologue.

The occurrence of Fumana bonapartei and F. aciphylla in Bulgaria is reported here for the first time. Both species were found together at a single site on serpentine slopes near the village of Zagorichane, East Rhodope Mts. The diagnostic features of each species have been compared with those of other members of the genus already known for the country. An identification key to all four Bulgarian species of Fumana has been provided. Population structure and size, and floristic composition at the new sites as well as a preliminary assessment of the conservation status of both species are also presented.

The seed morphology of 16 Greek taxa of Campanula section Quinqueloculares, 14 of them are endemic to Greece, is studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Data on the size, shape, and colour of the seeds are provided and the seed coat morphology is described. The seed morphology is found to be relatively uniform except the seed coat. Two different patterns are described based on the type of striations on the seed surface. The seed coat morphology of the studied taxa is compared to the Turkish relatives of C. sect. Quinqueloculares highlighting the variation of the section. Overall, seed morphology was found to be an overlooked feature in Greek Campanula taxa. Our study sets, for the first time, a framework for the study of seed morphology in Greek C. sect. Quinqueloculares and additionally supports their complementary role in Campanula taxonomy and systematics.

The asymbiotic seed germination of orchids is a complex process with considerable technical difficulties, due to the natural requirement of a plant-fungus symbiotic relationship under field conditions. Only on rare occasions, orchid seeds are known to readily germinate in water. Neotinea maculata is a relatively common orchid species with its main distribution around the Mediterranean Sea. Germination of N. maculata seeds was tested in both nutrient media and water agar, in asymbiotic culture. Full germination was achieved both in nutrient media (96.1%) and water agar (84.0%) in darkness at 20°C. In this study, apart from presenting the protocols of germination for N. maculata in asymbiotic culture, we also furnish data for the other members of the genus Neotinea.

The ancestry of broad bean Vicia Faba, one of the most important cultivated legumes, baffled scholars for many years. Until some half-century ago only meager evidence of charred broad bean was unearthed in archaeological excavations. A living putative wild progenitor has been remained obscured. During the last five decades significant archaeobotanical evidence from the Mediterranean basin was accumulated, illuminating the importance of this legume at the dawn of agriculture. Several recent excavations in the Near East revealed large quantities of Neolithic broad bean, suggesting that it was an important part of the crop assemblage of the early farmers some 10,000 years ago. Also, charred seeds found recently suggest that pre-agricultural huntergatherers used the same species before its cultivation as early as 14,000 years ago, hence revealing the wild ancestry of this crop

A new endemic species of Centaurea is here described from the Nebrodi Mountains, in Sicily, and named Centaurea heywoodiana. Information on its morphology, distribution, ecology and taxonomic relationship is also provided.

The Cactaceae, and especially its most emblematic genus, Opuntia, is one of the groups of plants with greater invasion potential in the Iberian Peninsula. One of the most recently detected species is Opuntia aurantiaca, a small cactus with an enormous capacity of dispersion. Probably native to Argentina and Uruguay, it behaves as a very aggressive invader in Australia and South Africa. In Europe, it only occurs on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Catalonia and Valencian Community). In this study, the geographic range of the species is accurately delineated at the peninsular level. Detected firstly at the beginning of the last decade in Navajas (Castelló Province), it has been subsequently observed in other places of Castelló, but also in Valencia, Tarragona and Barcelona, and since 2017 in Girona. With all gathered occurrence data, the potential distribution of O. aurantiaca is estimated (for the current climatic conditions as well as for different scenarios of global warming). Despite the fact that the species seems to be spreading, maps of potential distribution do not forecast large expansions to other areas of the Iberian Peninsula, both for the present and for the year 2070.

This is the second issue of the series of germination reports from Mediterranean areas (sensu MedChecklist). It comprises germination protocols for 23 taxa: Neotinea from Greece by S. Oikonomidis & al. (No. 23); Berardia, Potentilla, Silene, and Tephroseris from North Italy by V. Carasso & al. (Nos. 24-27); Aethionema, Arenaria, Iberis, and Odontarrhena from Sicily by F. Carruggio & al. (Nos. 28-31); Astragalus, Erysimum, Senecio, Silene, and Tanacetum from Sicily by C. Salmeri & M. Castrogiovanni (Nos. 32-36); Onopordum from central Italy by S. Zitti & al. (No. 37); Viola from central Italy and Sicily by S. Magrini & L. Zucconi (Nos. 38-41); Hieracium and Pilosella from Sicily and South Italy by E. Di Gristina & al. (Nos. 42-45)

This study describes germination protocols of four Western Alps endemics. The species studied are: Berardia lanuginosa, Potentilla valderia, Silene cordifolia, and Tephroseris balbisiana. Seeds were collected in the Maritime Alps (Cuneo, Italy) and conserved for a few days in the herbarium chamber or in the drying room of the seed bank before submitting to germination test. The germination tests were carried out in the Piedmont Germplasm Bank. Our results show a high germination response for all the analyzed species.

The present work focuses on germination requirements of four pioneer plant species from Mediterranean mountains, mainly occurring on more or less consolidated limestone screes and debris. The study species are Aethionema saxatile subsp. saxatile, Arenaria grandiflora subsp. grandiflora, Iberis violacea, and Odontarrhena nebrodensis subsp. nebrodensis. Seeds were collected at the time of natural dispersal, on the Madonie Massif, within an altitudinal range of 1300-1500 m a.s.l. Different germination conditions were tested and the best germination protocols for each species are provided.

The germination ability of five endemic species from the high mountain belt of Mt. Etna were studied; they are Astragalus siculus, Erysimum etnense, Senecio squalidus subsp. aethnensis, Silene italica subsp. sicula, and Tanacetum vulgare subsp. siculum. Mature seeds were collected in the field, within an elevation range of 1700–2000 m a.s.l. Different experimental conditions were tested and the best methods with optimal germination results are provided and compared for each species. First germination records are given for 4 out of 5 of the investigated taxa.

This study deals with the seed germination for Onopordum tauricum (Asteraceae). The cypselae were collected from two populations in the Marche and Umbria Region (Italy). The highest germination value (93.6%) was obtained after 24 hours of soaking in a 500 ppm GA3 solution and then incubated at a constant temperature of 20°C with a 12/12h light-dark photoperiod.

Here, successful germination protocols for the following four annual pansies are presented: Viola arvensis subsp. arvensis, V. hymettia, V. kitaibeliana, and V. tricolor subsp. tricolor. Seeds were collected mainly in Central Italy (Tuscany, Umbria, and Latium) and in Sicily. The germination ability was tested at the Tuscia Germplasm Bank (BGT) using several methods for dormancy-breaking. Our results show high germination percentages and germination rate for the tested species.

This work reports the first seed germination data of three Hieracium and one Pilosella (Asteraceae) taxa from Sicily and southern Italy. The studied taxa are: Hieracium hypochoeroides subsp. cilentanum, endemic to Campania, H. schmidtii subsp. nebrodense, endemic to Sicily, H. terraccianoi, endemic to Calabria and Pilosella hoppeana subsp. sicula, endemic to Sicily. The obtained results showed that the investigated taxa produce non-dormant seeds, with a high percentage of germination at all tested thermoperiods (15°C to 25°C and the alternating temperature of 25/15°C). Germination tests carried out in gibberellic acid (GA3) provided similar germination percentages. The data presented in this paper provides useful information for the conservation of these endemic taxa.

This is the thirty of a series of karyological data from Mediterranean area, peri-Alpine communities and the Atlantic Islands, in English or French language. It comprises contributions on 15 taxa: Campanula from Crete, East Aegean Islands and Greece by E. Liveri, P. Bareka & G. Kamari (Nos 1982-1993); Crepis from Bosnia, France, Italy and Slovenia by S. Siljak-Yakovlev (Nos 1994-1996).

Chromosome numbers and karyotypes are given for 12 taxa of Campanula section Quinqueloculares. All the examined taxa are distributed in Greece including the phytogeographical regions of Crete and Karpathos, Cyclades and East Aegean Islands. The chromosome number 2n = 2x = 34 is found in all examined taxa with the exception of C. laciniata (2n = 4x = 68), which is a new chromosome number for the taxon from Crete. Their karyotypes are symmetrical comprising of mostly metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes, small in size, but they differ in the presence and the size of satellites. The chromosome count (2n = 34) and karyotype morphology of C. topaliana subsp. delphica is given for first time. New populations of C. cymaea, C. kamariana, C. pelviformis, and C. topaliana subsp. cordifolia were karyologically investigated confirming the previous references. The karyotype morphology of C. anchusiflora, C. andrewsii subsp. hirsutula, C. kamariana, C. lavrensis, C. merxmuelleri, C. nisyria, and C. rupestris is given for first time. Additionally, microphotographs are firstly provided hereby for all investigated taxa.

Chromosome numbers and karyotypes were studied in eight populations of Crepis aurea from Alps, Dinaric Alps and Apennines. The populations from Alps and Apennines exhibit diploid chromosome number (2n = 10) while the populations from Central Dinaric Alps and one population from Julian Alps were tetraploid (2n = 4x = 20). For this reason, a detailed comparative analysis of the two cytotypes was undertaken. The hypothesis of auto-polyploidy seems to be the most plausible one. Additionally, it was interesting to deal with the taxonomic status of Crepis aurea var. bosniaca growing in Central Dinaric Alps and whose populations are tetraploid.