Riccardo M. Baldini

Population Structure in the Model Grass Brachypodium distachyon Is Highly Correlated with Flowering Differences across Broad Geographic Areas

Genotyping diverse Brachypodium accessions expands research tools for grasses. The B. hybridum genome is a mosaic of B. distachyon‐ and B. stacei‐like sequences. Three distinct, genetically defined populations of B. distachyon were identified. Flowering time, more than geography, distinguishes B. distachyon populations. Results support the feasibility of genome‐wide association studies in a model grass.

Revision of the genus Phalaris L. (Gramineae)

Summary In the present work the number of the species recognized in the genus Phalaris has been increased to 22. The study includes the re-evaluation of few taxa with names put into synonymy by previous authors and the recognition of one new species: Phalaris lindigii Baldini. The examination of many herbarium specimens housed in 53 Institutions around the world has been the basis for defining the species diversity of the genus with important taxonomic and chorologic implications. Chromosome numbers of species as P. maderensis (Menezes) Menezes and P. rotgesii (Husn.) Baldini are also reported.

The genus Phalaris L. (Gramineae) in Italy

Summary A taxonomic revision of the Italian species of Phalaris L. has been carried out. Evidence and information were obtained from the study of living and dried plants, including type material. The attention was focused on the vegetative, floral characters, frequently disregarded, and on the chromosome number. 10 species have been recognized in Italy against the 8 reported in the main italian Floras: P arundinacea L., P. rotgesii (Husnot) Baldini, stat. nov., P. aquatica L., P. hirtiglumis (Trabut) Baldini, stat. nov., P. minor Retz., P. coerulescens Desf., P. paradoxa L., P. truncata Guss. ex Bert., P. canariensis L., P. brachystachys Link. Each taxon is accompanied by a description, drawings, distribution maps, nomenclatural and systematics comments.

Conservation assessment of the endemic plants of the Tuscan Archipelago, Italy.

The Mediterranean islands support a rich diversity of flora, with a high percentage of endemic species. We used the IUCN categories and criteria to assess the conservation status of 16 endemic plant taxa (species and subspecies) of the Tuscan Archipelago, based on data collected during field surveys over 4 years. Our data were sufficient to use criteria B, C and D in our assessment. We used criterion B in the assessment of all 16 taxa, criterion C for four taxa, criterion D for 11 taxa and criteria B, C and D for three taxa, Centaurea gymnocarpa, Limonium doriae and Silene capraria . According to our results L. doriae, Romulea insularis and S. capraria are categorized as Critically Endangered and therefore require immediate conservation measures; eight taxa are categorized as Endangered, two as Vulnerable and three as Near Threatened. Compared to earlier assessments, eight species are recategorized with a higher degree of threat, two species are recategorized with a lower degree of threat, five are unchanged, and one species is assessed for the first time. Based on the IUCN categorization our results show that all the endemic species of the Tuscan Archipelago are directly and/or indirectly threatened by human activities, such as tourism and agriculture, and invasive species of plants and animals. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park is responsible for the conservation of all endemic species in the area.

Polyphyly of Tragopogon porrifolius L. (Asteraceae), a European Native with Intercontinental Disjuncts

Tragopogon L. comprises 150 species from Eurasia, with three diploids well established in North America (T. porrifolius, T. dubius, and T. pratensis). ITS, external transcribed spacer, and plastid sequence data indicate that T. porrifolius is polyphyletic. One lineage is phylogenetically well separated from other collections identified as T. porrifolius. This lineage is widespread in North America and Europe, includes the cultivated salsify, and has been considered T. porrifolius ssp. porrifolius. It is distinct from other T. porrifolius in having longer ligules and an additional set of chromosomal satellites. This “salsify” lineage is one parent (with T. dubius) of the North American allotetraploid T. mirus. Collections identified as T. porrifolius ssp. australis and ssp. cupani appear together in a clade well removed from ssp. porrifolius. These subspecies do not appear to have been introduced into North America. Available data suggest that ssp. cupani comprises both diploid and putative allotetraploid populations; hence, as currently described, this subspecies may encompass a previously unrecognized species. Additional samples of T. porrifolius not classified to subspecies, from both Europe and North America, form a third lineage and appear with collections of several species from Europe, including specimens identified as T. longirostris (which itself may not be monophyletic), another purple‐flowered Tragopogon. This lineage appears to represent an unrecognized species and indicates that an additional species of Tragopogon has been introduced into North America.

Melastomataceae Raddianae: a study of G Raddi's Melastomataceae types housed in the herbaria of Pisa (PI) and Firenze (FI)

The Melastomataceae collected by Giuseppe Raddi (1770-1829) during his expedition to Brazil (1817-1818) and housed at Fl and PI are studied. The collections typify names in the genera Bertolonia Raddi, Leandra Raddi, Melastoma L. and Rhexia L. For 22 species we provide information about types, nomenclature, taxonomy and geographical distribution.

Poaceae Raddianae: an updated nomenclatural and taxonomical evaluation of G. Raddi's Brazilian Poaceae

The original collections of the new taxa described by Raddi in his Agrostografia brasiliensis, collected during his expedition to Brazil (1817-1818), housed at PI, FI and BOLO Herbaria, were critically reviewed, including those of thirty-five new species and one new variety. In the present study, nomenclatural and taxonomic updates are provided. A treatment of some species described by Bertoloni (1819, 1820) on Raddis Brazilian collections is also provided.

Cyperaceae Raddianae: a nomenclatural and taxonomic study of the Cyperaceae published in G. Raddi’s Agrostografia brasiliensis

SummaryA study of the 26 Cyperaceae published in G. Raddi’s Agrostografia brasiliensis is presented. Several new synonyms and a re-evaluation of some taxa described by G. Raddi are proposed. The first citation of Fimbristylis pilosa Vahl for Brazil is reported. The new combination, Pleurostachys pilulifera (Bertol.) Longhi-Wagner, Baldini & A. C. Araújo is made.

Molecular phylogeny of Tragopogon L. (Asteraceae) based on seven nuclear loci (Adh, GapC, LFY, AP3, PI, ITS, and ETS)

Summary Tragopogon is a large Eurasian genus of approximately 150 species. Despite the use of 6910 aligned bp of sequence data representing seven loci, relationships within the genus remain largely unresolved. The young age of the genus in combination with rapid diversification may be the best explanation for this poor resolution. Our studies have revealed that Geropogon is well supported as the immediate sister to Tragopogon. Sections Tragopogon, Brevirostris, Chromopappus, and Hebecarpus of traditional taxonomic treatments are largely monophyletic; sections Angustissimi, Majores, Collini, and Profundisulcati are non-monophyletic. The monotypic sections Macropogon, Dasypogon, and Dybjanskya appear within other sections and no longer merit recognition. Our molecular investigations of geographically widespread species in Europe, including T. crocifolius, T. pratensis, T. porrifolius, and T. orientalis, indicate that each may be non-monophyletic, comprising several cryptic species. These widespread diploids are the proposed parents of some of the Eurasian allopolyploids, as well as the parents of the recently formed T. mirus and T. miscellus from North America.

Historical botanical collections in Latin America: the Italian contribution in the XIX century

Summary Historical botanical collections, are important for many aspects of botanical research (nomenclature, taxonomy and floristics), and for information on past and present Biodiversity. The present paper considers five cases of study in order to point out the role of the Italian Historical botanical collections from Latin America.