Mediterranean Endemic Species Research Articles

CONSERVATION, PROPAGATION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF THE NATIVE GREEK FLORA TOWARDS COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE

CONSERVATION, PROPAGATION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF THE NATIVE GREEK FLORA TOWARDS COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE

New information on the biogeographical and ecological distribution of Pionosyllis anophthalma Capaccioni & San Martín, 1989 (Polychaeta, Syllidae)

1 - Two individuals of the Mediterranean endemic species Pionosyllis anophthalma Capaccioni & San Martin, 1989 were found in a brackish water coastal lagoon in Northern Greece (Agiasma, Nestos river). 2 - The species is reported for the first time in Greece and in a non-tidal brackish water coastal lagoon. 3 - The record adds some new information concerning the geographical and habitat distributional ranges of the species. 4 - Pionosyllis anophthalma is associated with vegetated bottoms and shows a wide tolerance to salinity variations. 5 - An intraspecific morphological variation was observed in the material examined compared to the species’ holotype.

Essential oil composition of the different parts of Eryngium corniculatum Lam. (Apiaceae) from Spain

The essential oil from the different parts (inflorescences, stems + leaves and roots) of E. corniculatum Lam. gathered in Guadalajara (Spain) has been extracted by steam distillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Quantitative and qualitative differences have been found between the analysed parts, although all of them contained the same principal compound, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde, representing the 50.8%, 50.0%, and 29.8% of the total oil for inflorescences, stems + leaves and roots, respectively. Other representative constituents of the oil were similar in the different fractions: in the inflorescences compounds were found to be α-pinene (4.0%), chrysanthenyl acetate (4.0%), 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde (3.3%), (2 Z,6 E)-farnesol (2.0%), ( E)-nerolidol (2.1%) and ( Z)-β-ocimene (2.1%), while the stems + leaves oil showed 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde (3.8%), α-pinene (3.4%), ( E)-nerolidol (2.4%) and (2 Z,6 E)-farnesol (2.1%), and in the roots oil a phyllocladene isomer (13.0%), ( E)-nerolidol (9.4%), β-eudesmol (4.1%) and (2 Z,6 E)-farnesol (2.1%) were found. The presence of C-10 compounds as the main fraction for an Eryngium species is worth mentioning. This is the first report on the chemical composition of this Mediterranean endemic species.

High occurrence of the elasipodid holothurian Penilpidia ludwigi (von Marenzeller, 1893) in bathyal sediment traps moored in a western Mediterranean submarine canyon

One hundred and fifty specimens of the elasipod holothurian Penilpidia ludwigi (von Marenzeller, 1893) were collected in sediment traps moored near the seabed in the La Fonera Canyon (Catalan Sea, north-western Mediterranean) and on the adjacent continental slope. These provide the third record of this apparently endemic Mediterranean species and the first record from the western Mediterranean. This was the only holothurian species trapped and the most abundant macroscopic organism found in the traps between 1200 and 1700 m depth over the whole sampling period (March–November 2001). It was particularly abundant in spring during the main flux of organic particles in the canyon. This coupling suggests that Penilpidia may aggregate at the seafloor during these events, making food availability a plausible explanation of the seasonal occurrence. Lateral transport of material re-suspended locally or up-canyon by near bottom currents appear to be the mechanism behind this uncommon occurrence, although in situ observations have recently been made on the swimming capability of this holothurian. The occurrence of benthic organisms in sediment traps set close to the seabed can provide information on bathyal benthic and benthopelagic populations.

Relationship between pelagic larval duration and geographic distribution of Mediterranean littoral fishes

We examined the relationship between pelagic larval duration (PLD)—a predictor of a species' dispersal potential—and the geographic distribution range of 62 Mediterranean littoral fishes. We found a significant, positive, weak relationship between PLD and distribution range. This relationship was observed in species with long PLDs that can cross the few dispersal barriers (Mac- aronesian Islands) present in the Mediterranean, and in endemic Mediterranean species with short PLDs. Species with inshore larvae exhibited a shorter PLD than species with offshore larvae. Species with larvae living in spring-summer had shorter PLDs than those developing in autumn-winter. Mean geographic range was clearly smaller for species with inshore larval distributions than for species with offshore larval distributions. However, the geographic range of species with benthic eggs was smaller than that of pelagic spawners. The size of the distribution range of fishes is probably not controlled only by the PLD. The inshore/offshore position and the season of planktonic life play an important role in ensuring the return of larvae to their settlement habitats. Consequently, these fac- tors also affect the size of the species' distribution range.

Photosynthesis and photoinhibition in response to drought in a pubescent (var. minor) and a glabrous (var. palaui) variety of Digitalis minor

Ecophysiological differences on morphological and photosynthetic traits were studied in two varieties of a Mediterranean endemic species, Digitalis minor. These varieties are recognized according to its differences in pubescence: var. minor is pubescent while var. palaui is glabrous. Water status, leaf mass area, gas-exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were performed under two different water availability treatments: field capacity and 25% field capacity. The presence of leaf trichomes in var. minor is shown as an efficient mechanism in preserving photochemistry apparatus, when compared to the glabrous var. palaui. However, such differential pubescence did not imply a lower leaf water loss. Other intraspecific differences are found both in the photosynthetic behaviour and in leaf morphological traits between both varieties, especially higher photosynthetic and mesophyll conductance capacities for var. minor in respect to var. palaui. These results are discussed in terms of selection pressures and ecological success to link with actual and future scenarios derived from the climatic change.

Sponge fauna associated with a Mediterranean deep-sea coral bank

Thirty species of sponges (29 Demospongiae, 1 Hexactinellida) have been recorded in association with a white coral bank situated off Cape S. Maria di Leuca (southern Italy) at depths ranging from 430 to 1160 metres. Notwithstanding the occurrence of clearly eurybathic species, two depth-dependent sponge groups can be identified along the bathymetric gradient. Two species, Geodia nodastrella and Plocamiopsis signata, are reported for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. The sponge assemblage shows a higher affinity with the fauna from the Boreal region, with very low number of Mediterranean endemic species. Systematic notes concerning the poorly known and intriguing species, studied using scanning electron microscopy analysis, are reported.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Zelkova (Ulmaceae sensu stricto) as inferred from leaf morphology, ITS sequence data and the fossil record

To address the evolution and geographical diversification of the genus Zelkova (Ulmaceae) a phylogenetic analysis of morphological data and the sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used. Cladistic analyses suggested that the Chinese species Z. schneideriana and Z. sinica are basal within Zelkova. The western Asian Z. carpinifolia either appears nested between the East Asian Z. schneideriana and Z. sinica and a clade formed by the Japanese Z. serrata and two Mediterranean species, Z. abelicea and Z. sicula (ITS), or forms a clade with Z. serrata that is sister to a clade Z. abelicea plus Z. sicula (morphology). Nucleotide data suggested that gene flow occurred between Z. schneideriana and Z. serrata, and Z. carpinifolia and a lineage ancestral to Z. abelicea/sicula. Character evolution in Zelkova appears to have gone from long leaves with numerous secondary veins, coarse to shallow teeth with blunt or slightly pointed apex and small stomata, to leaves that are either long or short with numerous or few secondary veins, coarse teeth with cuspidate or obtuse apex or conspicuously shallow teeth, and dimorphic stomata displaying ‘giant stomata’ surrounded by a ring of small stomata or uniform large stomata. These results are in agreement with fossil data. Early Cainozoic fossils attributed to Zelkova from North America and Central Asia closely resemble the modern Z. schneideriana and Z. carpinifolia. The genus could have originated in the northern Pacific area and migrated to Europe after the Turgai Strait was closed during the Late Oligocene. Geographical differentiation may have started with the isolation of Chinese populations (leading to modern Z. schneideriana and Z. sinica) from high-latitude Eurasian (North American) populations. This widespread Early Cainozoic type may have diversified into the western Asian Z. carpinifolia and the more derived Japanese and Mediterranean species during the latest Cainozoic. The modern Japanese and European/western Asian species would have differentiated relatively late, while two locally endemic Mediterranean species are the result of the cooling and development of a Mediterranean climate belt in Europe during the Pleistocene. Fossils from the Miocene and Pliocene of Europe resemble modern Z. carpinifolia and Z. serrata. Differentiation of the two Mediterranean species Z. abelicea and Z. sicula in the Late Cainozoic cannot be traced by leaf morphology. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 147, 129‐157. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: character evolution ‐ ITS1 ‐ ITS2 ‐ molecular evolution ‐ pattern evolution ‐ speciation.

Biogeography of benthic marine Amphipods in Mediterranean Sea

Biogeographia vol. XXIV - 2003 (Printed October, 31st 2003) Marine biogeography of the Mediterranean Sea: patterns and dynamics of biodiversity Biogeography of benthic marine Amphipods in Mediterranean Sea DENISE BELLAN—SANTINI*, SAN DRO RUFFO** *Cem7qe :tqOce’tz7z0[0gie ale Mzzisei/le, Station Mzzrim‘ zl’Ena’ozm2e, UMR 6540 D1114/1R, Rue Bzztterie dc‘: Liam, 13007 Mzz7'5ei[/e ( France} **Mztseo Cit/ico [Ii Storizz Nzztumle, Lmzgtzdzge Pomz Vz'ztorz'tz 9, 37129 Verona (Italy) Key words: benthic Amphipods, Mediterranean Sea, biogeography. SUMMARY The fauna of Mediterranean amphipods includes 466 species, near 6% of the known world wide amphipod fauna. They constitute four major categories of geographical distribution: species common to Mediterranean and Atlantic (55%), indopaciflc probably lessepsiztn species (19%). cosmopolitan species (4.6%), mediterranean endemic species (385%). In consideration with these data. it is evident that it is a great affinity between Mediterranean fauna and the Atlantic one and that the level ofendemicity is very high. 95% of the whole species are present in the western bassin, 70% in the eastern and 53% in the Adriatic. Inside the group of the species common with Atlantic and Metliterranean Sea, 1 1°/o are exclusively mauritanian, 18.5% mauritanian—lusitanian, 20.5% lusitanian, 32% lusita.nian-boreal, 36.4% of the species have a large continued atlantic distribution and 12.2% a discontinuous distribution between the boreal and lusitanian regions. These boreo—mediterranean species are essentially bathyal. The analysis of species common I'D Atlantic and Mediterranean suggests different center of origin in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The supposedly lessepsian species (9) are essentially present in the eastern basin. Considering the historical population of the Mediterranean we consider the 10 endemic genera and the 12 genera common to Indopacilic and Mediterranean and absent in the Atlantic to be particularly important. The general conclusions of the biogeographic data on the amphipod Fauna confirm the complexity of the histoiy of the origin, from premessinian to actual, of the Mediterranean fauna. INTRODUCTION The present list of Mediterranean benthic amphipods is composed by 466 species, 15 more than in 1998 (Bellan—Santini and Ruffo, 1998). The 15 new species for the Mediterranean are: Autonoe azttzlzzuniczz Ruffo, Cartes and Sorbe, 1999, Longigzzmmzzrzts10/zzmzsizze Messana and Ruffo, 2001, H)/zzle micbe/z’m' Krapp-Schickel and Bousfield, 2002, Eriopisel/¢z mfii Marti and Villora-Moreno, 1996, Gzzmmzzrelltz gzz7qcz'zzz' Marti and Villora-Moreno, 1995, Qutzdrimzzerzz zzrzkzdne Krapp, Marti and Ruffo, 1996, Quczdrimzzertz durum Krapp, Marti and Ruffo, 1996, Qzttztlrimzzertz reveltzm Krapp, Matti and Ruffo, 1996, Bat/aymedon [o7zgz'r05trz's]au1ne, Cartes and Sorbe, 1998, Stenot/aoepieroptzn Krapp—Schickel, 1996, Stenoz‘/Joe maittirzzgortz Krapp-Schickel, 1996, Urot/706 /aesperizze Conradi,

Seagrasses biodiversity (Posidonia oceanica and Zostera marina) in the Mediterranean Sea

Biogeographia vol. XXIV - 2003 (Printed October, 31st 2003) Marine biogeography of the Mediterranean Sea: patterns and dynamics of biodiversity Seagrasses biodiversity (Posidonia 0C€eZ7’lZt'6l and Zosrem marina) in the Mediterranean Sea CARLA MICHELi*, PATRIZIA PAGANIN*, MASSIMO MAFFUCCP‘, TANIA DOLCE**, GIUSEPPE NASCETTI***, ANDREA PEIRANO+, CARLO NIKE BIANCHF’, ANDREA RlSMONDO°°, DANIELE CURIEL°° *ENE/l Cemro Rivers/ye Czzszzccizz, C1’. 2400, I—00I00 Roma (Italy) “Lab. 512' Ecologizz Sperimmrzzle edAtquz'c0[tzmz, Universrriz (Xi Tor Vergzmz, Via Cmcovizz, I—00I33 Roma (Ital)/) ***Dz'pzzrtimmto di Scienze Anzbienrzzlz} Um'z2errz'tr‘z dellzz Tuscizz, Viz! S. Camilla De Le/lis, 1-0] 100 Vitereo (Italy) °ENE/I Cmrro Ricerc/JeA712bI'mre Marina, CP. 2241, 1-191 00 La Spezizz (Ital/y) °°Sc[c Scar! V222 de[[’E/etwicitiz 5D, 1-301 75 Venezia—Marg/Jera (Italy) Key words: Parr’:/miia occzzn/czz (L.) Delile, Zosrem mzzri/1/1 L., genetic variability, Mediterranean, Venice lagoon. SUMMARY Aim of this paper is to asses the genetic variability oFMediterranean seagrasses such as Panda;/in urczznim and Zastem mzzrinrz by Random Amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technique, and to correlate it to primary productivity. The study was carried out for I 1 populations of P. ommiczz collected in different Mediterranean localities, along the coast, around the isles, and transplanted in the protected park of Port—Ctos and for two populations of Z. zmzrirm sampled in Malamocco central basin oFVenice lagoon (San Pietro in Volta and Alberoni). Results of this research enable us to assess genetic variability for distinct groups of P. accrznim populations in the Mediterranean in relation to primary production. Instead, Z. mtlriml revealed an high genetic variability within and among the two populations located to a distance ofonly 5 km in Malamocco basin confirming the role of this plant as cosmopolitan species for its phenotypic plasticity. INTRODUCTION Seagrasses contribute significantly to the productivity of coastal areas in both temperate and tropical Waters (Phillips et al., 1983). The endemic Mediterranean species Posidonia ocermiaz Delile, Cymodocezz nodaszz, Zoszfem mrzrimz and Z. noltii, play the major role in the primary production of the beds in the species succession. In particular Z. marina and Z. noltii have long been reported in the lagoon of Venice and in various Mediterranean localities. In fact Z. rmzrinrz comprises a significant structural element of both in the lagoon and coastal environments throughout the temperate northern hemisphere. It

Seascape biodiversity patterns along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: lessons from the biogeography of benthic polychaetes

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 244:139-152 (2002) - doi:10.3354/meps244139 Seascape biodiversity patterns along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: lessons from the biogeography of benthic polychaetes Christos Arvanitidis*, Gerard Bellan, Panos Drakopoulos, Vasilis Valavanis, Costas Dounas, Athanasios Koukouras, Anastasios Eleftheriou Institute of Marine Biology of Crete, Department of Technology and Management of Marine Environment, 71003 Herakleion, Crete, Greece *Email: arvanitidis@imbc.gr ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to investigate seascape biodiversity patterns along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea through the study of the benthic polychaete biogeography of the region. A set of non-parametric multivariate analyses and recently developed diversity indices were performed on the benthic polychaete inventories of the areas of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Both the numbers of species and the multivariate analyses demonstrate a west-east zoogeocline, shown by the decreasing number of species and by the multivariate similarity pattern of the areas. The performance of the Œsecond-stage¹ multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) shows, when species information is aggregated to genera, results belonging practically to the same similarity pattern, independent of the similarity coefficients utilized. The same similarity pattern is derived when species information is aggregated to the zoogeographical categories of amphi-Atlantic, Atlanto-Mediterranean, cosmopolitan and endemic species. BIO-ENV analysis reveals a large number of geographic, climatic and trophic variables to be highly correlated with the similarity pattern derived from the various taxonomic/zoogeographical categories. The synergy, however, of the environmental variables is best reflected in the case of the endemic Mediterranean species. The latter category is considered as the critical zoogeographic category with respect to providing information on the evolutionary history of the taxon in the region. The application of the average taxonomic distinctness and the variation of taxonomic distinctness indices resulted in a diversity ranking of the areas, which appears to be independent of the number of species hosted in each area. However, this is not the case for the phylogenetic diversity (PD) index. Additionally, the former 2 indices indicate that the benthic polychaete species-pool, hosted in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea areas, may well serve as a useful basis for future comparisons in environmental assessment studies. Finally, results from the application of the area-diversity formula show that the equilibrium model can be applicable for the endemic benthic polychaetes of the region: the number of endemic species can be considered as a function of the degree of isolation of the area from the source region against the degree of within-area isolated habitats. KEY WORDS: Biodiversity · Biogeography · Polychaeta · Mediterranean · Black Sea Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 244. Online publication date: November 29, 2002 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2002 Inter-Research.

The suitability of Corophium orientale (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in harbour sediment toxicity bioassessment

Eco-toxicology represents an important integrative tool of environmental risk assessment. Amphipods is a taxon much recommended for bioassay, but species used are generally from the Atlantic Ocean or the North Sea. None of the Mediterranean species has ever been examined. In an eco-toxicological evaluation of harbour sediment, Corophium orientale, an endemic Mediterranean species, was investigated for suitability to determine sediment quality. Physical–chemical analyses and amphipod bioassays on several contaminated Italian harbour samples were carried out. Two amphipod populations with different sensitivities were used. Microtox ®, a sensitive and reproducible assay procedure, was used in parallel with C. orientale assay in order to ascertain an agreement and/or disagreement between responses. The results of the two bioassay procedures supported the hypothesis that C. orientale, as part of a battery of bioassays, is sensitive to hydro-soluble pollutants contaminating the water column due to dredging activities.

Glandular Trichomes and Essential Oils of Mentha requieni Benth.

Distilled oils from leaves of Mentha requieni Benth. (2n=18) were analyzed by means of GC/MS. The essential oil consisted almost exclusively of the monoterpene ketones pulegone (79%) and menthone (14%). Leaf glandular trichomes were observed and counted by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in order to verify significance of differences in densities and total number of trichomes between the upper and lower leaf epidermises. Abaxial and adaxial surfaces of M. requieni leaves possessed both peltate and capitate hairs, the latter present at densities always higher than those recorded for the peltate hairs. Nevertheless, M. requieni peltate hair density was high, if compared with that of other Mentha species. This resulted in a capitate/peltate ratio of 1.74, a value very uncommon for the genus, especially in the case of the upper epidermis. The chemical profile of the oil was discussed in relation to the taxonomic position of this rare Mediterranean endemic species. A strong morphological adaptation to the coastal environment could be envisaged in the reduced leaf dimensions and related trichome distribution.

Cystoseira jabukae (Cystoseiraceae, Fucophyceae) from Corsica (Mediterranean) with notes on the previously misunderstood species C. funkii

The poorly known Mediterranean endemic species Cystoseira jabukae Ercegovic (Cystoseiraceae, Fucophyceae) has been collected from Scandola, Corsica. These collections are the first of this species from the coast of France. Study of the Corsican specimens and comparison with specimens from the type locality, Jabuka Island in the mid-Adriatic, have confirmed the taxonomic characters of C. jabukae and revealed confusion between this species and Cystoseira funkii Schiffner ex Gerloff et Nizamuddin, another poorly known Mediterranean species. Cystoseira funkii was also collected for the first time on the coast of France (Scandola). Comparison of specimens from the Balearic Islands, the Aeolian Archipelago, and Sicily with the holotype of C. funkii has shown that all previous reports of C. jabukae from the western Mediterranean and the Ionian Sea probably refer to this species.

The suitability of Corophium orientale (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in harbour sediment toxicity bioassessment

Abstract Eco-toxicology represents an important integrative tool of environmental risk assessment. Amphipods is a taxon much recommended for bioassay, but species used are generally from the Atlantic Ocean or the North Sea. None of the Mediterranean species has ever been examined. In an eco-toxicological evaluation of harbour sediment, Corophium orientale, an endemic Mediterranean species, was investigated for suitability to determine sediment quality. Physical-chemical analyses and amphipod bioassays on several contaminated Italian harbour samples were carried out. Two amphipod populations with different sensitivities were used. Microtox®, a sensitive and reproducible assay procedure, was used in parallel with C. orientale assay in order to ascertain an agreement and/or disagreement between responses. The results of the two bioassay procedures supported the hypothesis that C. orientale, as part of a battery of bioassays, is sensitive to hydro-soluble pollutants contaminating the water column due to dredging activities.

The reproductive biology of the Mediterranean endemic Cyclamen balearicum Willk. (Primulaceae)

Knowledge of the reproductive biology of endemic plants improves our understanding of how mating system may be related to patterns of species abundance and provides a basis for the development of rational conservation programmes. In this paper we present natural population data on the floral biology and reproductive ecology of the endemic Mediterranean species Cyclamen balearicum Willk. This is a long-lived, diploid perennial herb which occurs in southern France in five fragmented and isolated regions and on the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Cabrera and Draponera. Our observations indicate a particularly scarce pollinator activity (rare syrphid visits) and dispersal by ants over small distances. A controlled pollination experiment in a natural population showed that in southern France C. balearicum is fully self-compatible and that selfing is autonomous and probably delayed (i.e. following opportunities for outcrossing). The proximity of stigmas and anthers will favour autonomous selfing. The high pollen/ovule ratio indicates nevertheless that C. balearicum has a mixed mating system. Patterns of variation in stigma-anther separation and pollen production per flower suggest that not only has the current mating system of the species evolved from an outcrossing ancestor but that due to the fragmentation and isolation of populations greater levels of selfing have evolved in southern France (and to an intermediate degree on Ibiza and Menorca). On the island of Mallorca where larger continuous belts of C. balearicum habitat still exist the species has floral traits indicating a more outcrossed mating system. To our knowledge this is the first paper to document such trends in floral traits in the endemic component of the Mediterranean flora.

The reproductive biology of the Mediterranean endemic Cyclamen balearicumWillk. (Primulaceae)

Knowledge of the reproductive biology of endemic plants improves our understanding of how mating system may be related to patterns of species abundance and provides a basis for the development of rational conservation programmes. In this paper we present natural population data on the floral biology and reproductive ecology of the endemic Mediterranean species Cyclamen balearicumWillk. This is a long-lived, diploid perennial herb which occurs in southern France in five fragmented and isolated regions and on the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Cabrera and Draponera. Our observations indicate a particularly scarce pollinator activity (rare syrphid visits) and dispersal by ants over small distances. A controlled pollination experiment in a natural population showed that in southern France C. balearicumis fully self-compatible and that selfing is autonomous and probably delayed (i.e. following opportunities for outcrossing). The proximity of stigmas and anthers will favour autonomous selfing. The high pollen/ovule ratio indicates nevertheless that C. balearicumhas a mixed mating system. Patterns of variation in stigma-anther separation and pollen production per flower suggest that not only has the current mating system of the species evolved from an outcrossing ancestor but that due to the fragmentation and isolation of populations greater levels of selfing have evolved in southern France (and to an intermediate degree on Ibiza and Menorca). On the island of Mallorca where larger continuous belts of C. balearicumhabitat still exist the species has floral traits indicating a more outcrossed mating system. To our knowledge this is the first paper to document such trends in floral traits in the endemic component of the Mediterranean flora.

Phylogenetic relationships of some European Gelidium (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) species, based on rbcL nucleotide sequence analysis

Abstract In the absence of reliable taxonomic characters, species relationships in Gelidium (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) are poorly understood. In order to produce an independent data set for developing phylogenetic hypotheses and consequently a more natural classification of the genus, the methods and primers for sequencing rbcL were developed and used in a study of 37 Gelidium species and populations. Sequence data from 24 European and 13 non-European taxa were obtained and analyzed using parsimony methods. All European taxa were resolved in a single major clade except for Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jolis, which formed a separate clade within the non-European species. Populations initially identified as G. latifolium (Greville) Bornet et Thuret from Aramar, Spain and G. pulchellum (Turner) Kutzing from Mallorca, Spain were found to be respectively G. attenuatum (Turner) Bornet in Thuret and what may represent an endemic Mediterranean species. European G. pusillum was distinct from taxa representing G...