The vascular flora of the Marine Protected Area of “Capo Carbonara” (SE-Sardinia)

Abstract

Podda, L., Meloni, F., Fenu, G., Iiriti, G. & Bacchetta, G.: The vascular flora of the Marine Protected Area of “Capo Carbonara” (SE-Sardinia). — Fl. Medit. 31 (Special Issue): 415-449. 2021. — ISSN: 1120-4052 printed, 2240-4538 online. This study aims at presenting an updated inventory of the vascular flora of the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, including the Sites of Community Importance “Isola dei Cavoli, Serpentara, Punta Molentis e Campulongu” and partially of “Costa di Cagliari”, in Sardinia (Italy). A total of 653 taxa are reported, 84% of which are native (5% endemics) and 16% non-native (10% neophytes, 6% archaeophytes). The native component includes 406 species, 135 subspecies, two variety and one hybrid, belonging to 75 families and 313 genera. The non-native taxa are 94 species, 13 subspecies, one variety and one hybrid, belonging to 40 families and 81 genera. Life-form analysis of native species revealed a prevalence of therophytes (49%) followed by hemicryptophytes (21%), geophytes (14%) and chamaephytes (7%). Therophytes (33%) followed by phanerophytes (32%) are prevalent among the non-native taxa. Biogeographically, among native species, the Mediterranean element is largely prevailing (81%), mainly consisting of Circum-Mediterranean (39%) and Euro-Mediterranean (27%) taxa, while the American element (35%) prevails over the Mediterranean species (29%) among the non-native taxa. Among endemics, the Sardo-Corsican taxa are dominant (55%), followed by Sardo-Corsican-Tuscan Archipelago (14%) and Sardinian (10%) taxa.