Distribution, demography and conservation perspectives of Retama raetam subsp. gussonei (Fabaceae) in Calabria (S Italy)

Abstract

The southernmost region of peninsular Italy, Calabria, hosts two well distinct sub-populations of Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb. subsp. gussonei (Webb) Greuter (Fabaceae), a Sicilian-Calabrian endemic shrub. The population study model applied to this work on Calabrian sub-populations of this threatened taxon, demonstrated to be a powerful tool. A preliminary survey on a sample of the studied plants enabled the fast, easy and complete collection of biometric/anagraphic data. Present number of censussed plants (1,523; 82.5% by the Ionian Sea, 17.5% by the Tyrrhenian), the complex and heterogeneous composition of the population (divided in four biometric/age classes and spread on nine different sectors), its distribution within the study area, its evolution as a result of spontaneous population dynamic or future management actions, might be hopefully long term monitored through the study model here applied.