Distribution and taxonomy of the Italian clovers belonging to Trifolium sect. Vesicastrum subsect. Mystillus (Fabaceae)

By

Scoppola, Anna
Lattanzi, Edda
Bernardo, Liliana

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016-10-14

Original Publication

Italian botanist

Volume

2

Pages

7--27

Subjects

Central and southern Italy , clovers , identification key , new records , Trifolium subsect. Mystillus

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft 2016-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.2.10361

 

Abstract

In this paper, we focused our attention on the taxonomy and distribution in Italy of taxa belonging to Trifolium sect. Vesicastrum subsect. Mystillus. A short description of these closely related clovers, based on the study of fresh plant material, revision of herbarium specimens, and analysis of the relevant literature, is provided. Diagnostic features were highlighted by means of high-resolution digital images and, accordingly, an identification key is given. Trifolium spumosum, T. vesiculosum, T. mutabile and T. setiferum are reported to be distributed throughout Italy. We have updated the Italian distribution of the first three species by providing new occurrences from Tuscany, Umbria, Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria and by correcting previous references. The current presence of T. multistriatum in southern Italy is confirmed by our study, while T. setiferum must be excluded from the flora of Sicily. The study resulted in five new regional occurrences and 16 changes of presence status. Finally, intermediate forms between T. vesiculosum, T. multistriatum and T. mutabile were found both in living material and in the revised herbarium specimens.