Convolvulus sabatius subsp. mauritanicus (Boiss.) Murb. – just a new casual alien plant in Dalmatia or…?

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The genus Convolvulus (Convolvulaceae) is distributed worldwide. Several species are used as ornamental plants, and one of them is C. sabatius, a native species in Magreb (Africa) and Italy. For Croatia, it was reported just as a cultivated plant. After six years of continuous monitoring, we present here the first locality of its subspecies C. sabatius subsp. mauritanicus, outside of cultivation. Materials and Methods: The floristic survey of the city of Kastela was conducted during the summer of 2011 and 2016, and the site was geocoded by a GPS device. The population of the new alien Convolvulus taxon was continuously observed for six years. Results: The new alien Convolvulus taxon was recorded in 2011 in the settlement Rudine of Kastel Novi (Dalmatia), on an anthropogenic meadow. At first, it was determined as C. sabatius, and it was its first finding outside of cultivation. In 2016 the plant was more precisely determined as C. sabatius subsp. mauritanicus. From a few individuals observed in 2011, after six years the population of the new alien taxon enlarged its size, and in 2016 covers an area of approximately 6 m2. Conclusion: Due to our observation that this plant on the surrounding areas of our locality Rudine is constantly planted, we assumed that C. sabatius subsp. mauritanicus, is just a casual alien plant. However, due to the enlargement of its population and weed “behevior” in similar climatic areas of Europe and Australia, further monitoring of the locality is recommended, and possible eradication measures in the future, as well.