Flora

The race to discover and protect Earth’s hidden plants

The race to discover and protect Earth’s hidden plants

Botanical discoveries may sound like relics of a bygone era, but researchers are still uncovering dozens of new plant species every year. From the palm in Borneo that flowers underground to the orchid thriving parasitically on other plants in Madagascar, the strangeness of these species illustrate how little we know about Earth’s natural secrets. The study,…

The role of fire in the germination of invasive plants in Mediterranean environments: A meta-analysis

Fire is a key trigger for the germination of serotinous plants in Mediterranean environments. Despite the availability of ample investigations into how fire contributes to plant fitness and germination patterns in pyriscent plants, there is no published content … >>> Suárez-Ronay, S. H., Medina-Villar, S., Corona, M. E. P Forest Ecology and Management, 569, 122168…

Residual biomass from major aromatic and medicinal flora of the Mediterranean: challenges towards sustainable integration into food systems within the circular bioeconomy

Waste biomass from aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) encloses multifunctional compounds that could offer a poly-diverse pool of applications in sectors of food/feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. The production of essential oils (EOs) constitutes the main process that generates huge amounts of waste and/or by-product streams, since >95% of the AMPs is left as residual…

Developing perennial wildflower strips for use in Mediterranean orchard systems

To support sustainable food production and the delivery of ecosystem services through ecological intensification, wildflower strips have become a popular strategy. Despite their success in temperate orchard systems, they remain understudied in Mediterranean ecosystems, which poses a significant barrier to uptake. In order to further promote their adoption, seed mixes must be optimised for commercial…

Land change in eastern Mediterranean wood-pasture landscapes: the case of deciduous oak woodlands in Lesvos (Greece)

In Mediterranean Europe, wood-pasture landscapes with oak woodlands as emblematic ecosystems are undergoing rapid land-use change, which may threaten their … >>> Schaich, H., Kizos, T., Schneider, S., Plieninger, T. Environmental Management 56, 110-26 (2015) Recent related articles in this category All articles in this category >>>

Floristic reports from the island of Lesvos (Greece) I. Dicotyledones: Aceraceae to Guttiferae

Floristic and phytogeographical information is presented in the first of three papers on the flora of Lesvos (East Aegean, Greece). The taxa included here are dicotyledons and belong to families in alphabetical order from Aceraceae to Guttiferae. Of the 92 taxa (79 species, 12 subspecies and one variety) presented, two are new for Greece, five are new for…

Contributions to the flora of the Aegean islands of Lesvos and Limnos, Greece

The floristic results of journeys to the Aegean islands of Lesvos and Limnos over several years are presented. Retama monosperma is added to, and Asphodeline brevicaulis confirmed for the flora of Greece, and 14 new records for Lesvos and 31 for Limnos are given. Biel, B. Willdenowia 32(2), 209-19 (2002) (open access) Recent related articles in this category All…

Achieving the impossible: prevention and eradication of invasive plants in Mediterranean-type ecosystems

An in-depth analysis of the mechanistic processes underlying the evolution and ecophysiology of typical invasive plants such as Carpobrotus spp., Acacia spp., Agave spp., and Opuntia spp. in Mediterranean-type ecosystems >>> Munné-Bosch, S. Trends in Plant Science 29, 437-446 (2024) Recent related articles in this category