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The organization and logistics of the 12th OPTIMA Iter in Tunisia from 24 March to 4 April 2014 by OPTIMA and ATUTAX is here reported. The material used and the workflow are illustrated as reference for the organization of future similar collaborative botanical excursions

Ici sont présentés les principales caractéristiques physiques, bioclimatiques et la végétation de la Tunisie et, en particulier, des régions du Cap Bon, Les Mogods et la Kroumirie, situé dans le nord du pays, explorées au cours de le 12ème Iter Mediterraneum de l'OPTIMA tenue du 24 Mars à 5 Avril ici 2014.

The vascular plants (plus one alga) collected during Iter Mediterraneum XII of OPTIMA in North Tunisia have been studied. In all, 1374 gatherings were made from 43 localities in the “Cap Bon” region, “Dorsale Tunisienne”, “Tunisie du Nord-Est”, “Vallée de la Medjedah”, “Mogods” and “Kroumirie” areas. They belong to 82 families and 539 species or subspecies. Three taxa are new for the flora of Tunisia (Cerastium diffusum subsp. gussonei, Senecio leucanthemifolius subsp. mauritanicus, and Ulmus minor subsp. canescens), 7 represent new records for the “Kroumirie”, 15 for the “Mogods”, 3 for the “Tunisie du Nord-Est”, 2 for the “Dorsale Tunisienne”, and 8 for “Cap Bon”.

Part of the bryophytes collected during Iter Mediterraneum XII is listed. Some noteworthy species were found: Dicranella howei, had so far been recorded only doubtfully from Tunisia; Funaria hygrometrica, Grimmia laevigata, Grimmia trichophylla, Imbribryum alpinum, Pogonatum nanum, Rhynchostegium riparioides, Scleropodium touretii, Scorpiurium circinatum, Thamnobryum alopecurum, Timmiella barbuloides, Tortella squarrosa, Tortula muralis and Tortula vahliana, had not been reported from that country for more than half a century.

A preliminary list of the so far identified lichens collected during the 12th OPTIMA Iter to Tunisia in 2014 is presented. Altogether 37 collecting sites in the northern part of the country were visited. The lichen collection comprises ≤ 300 capsules kept in SAV, of which duplicates are being prepared for the Palermo Herbarium (PAL). Ecological and distributional data are provided for 46 taxa, 23 of which had not been included in the published checklist of lichens of Tunisia (e. g. Anema nummularium, Athallia skii, Caloplaca pollinii, Heppia adglutinata, Scytinium palmatum, Leprocaulon microscopicum, Solenopsora grisea, and S. olivacea subsp. olivacea). In an additional list, samples recently collected in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region are mentioned, which include elements characteristic of the habitats of N African mountains (e.g. the Atlas ranges) and Israel (e.g. Gloeoheppia turgida, Lichinella algerica, and Peccania fontqueriana).