Province Of Alessandria Research Articles

Analysis of geographical distribution of high-grade glioma diagnoses in the Alessandria province: pilot study preliminary results

Background: one under-researched line of investigation is gliomas, which are a group of malignant brain tumours with highly poor prognoses. Despite efforts to identify environmental risk factors for gliomas, their etiology still remains unclear. It turns out that several future developments are needed in order to understand other potential risk factors. To this end, the primary objective of the present pilot study is to conduct an assessment of the spatial distribution of high-grade brain tumor cases in the province of Alessandria, where possible risk factors such as the presence of chemical industries and asbestiform fibers are found. Materials and Methods: the study sample consisted of all patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma between January 2018 and April 2023, residents in the province of Alessandria at the time of diagnosis and referred to the health facilities of the "Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Alessandria" and the "Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera di Alessandria". Biographical and pathological history variables were collected, and finally, data were processed in aggregate and anonymized form. A total of 103 deceased patients were enrolled, stratified by age and type of diagnosis. Results: it was seen that the city with the most cases was Alessandria, with 27 diagnoses found during the period under review (26.2%), followed by cities of Acqui Terme, Casale Monferrato, and Novi Ligure with seven diagnoses (6.8%). Preliminary results presented in this paper were compared with data already published. Conclusions: analyses performed to arrive at an initial geographical distribution of high-grade glioma diagnoses are consistent relative to the population density of each municipality considered.

Sensory identity of wine from the ancient and almost forgotten grape variety Timorasso

Over the last few decades, there has been a gradual decrease in natural biodiversity, which is leading to the standardisation of wine products. Minor grape varieties possess key traits for producing wines with a specific territorial identity and they contribute to increasing biodiversity. Timorasso is an ancient Italian white grape variety native to the province of Alessandria in the Piedmont region. It fell into oblivion for a period of time due to the advent of phylloxera at the end of the 1800s and the abandonment of rural areas, which almost led to the extinction of this grapevine. This study aimed to identify the sensory properties that characterise Timorasso wine from different producers and production areas and to investigate the diversity of the sensory space. Sixteen Timorasso wines from the 2018 vintage and were evaluated for sensory description by a panel of nine semi-trained judges using the RATA method. The Timorasso wine was found to have a complex aromatic profile spanning fruity (citrus, tropical fruits, tree-fruit and dried/baked fruit), floral, vegetative, balsamic, honey and fuel/petroleum. The multiple factor analysis clearly differentiated wines with fruity notes from those with balsamic, vegetative and fuel/petroleum aromas. The hierarchical cluster analysis evidenced three main clusters. Cluster 1 comprised wines with pale-yellow colour and fruity-related aromas, low sourness, body and alcohol sensations. Cluster 2 comprised wines with dark yellow colour, low sourness, and high intensities of raisin and fuel aromas, probably due to specific oenological practices, such as grape maceration. Cluster 3 comprised wines with high sourness and vegetative odour. The results provide for the first time a sensory map of a grapevine that was almost forgotten until a few decades ago, but which is now considered to be among the most promising white wines on the Italian market.

Ecology and distribution of the European Roller <i>Coracias garrulus</i> in a recently recolonized area of Northern Italy

This study reports the first data on the ecology and distribution patterns of a population of Eurasian Roller Coracias garrulus breeding in the province of Alessandria in northwestern Italy. The research was conducted between 2017 and 2021. 13 pairs were found, 12 of which were confirmed to be breeding. The species primarily chose to nest in natural cavities in White poplar Populus alba, with nesting observed to a lesser extent in Black poplar Populus nigra, Turkey Oak Quercus cerris and in one case sandy river banks. The home range of each pair is mostly within pluriannual stable meadows and arable crops; on average it extends over 0,92 km2 with values that seems to oscillate according to the degree of fragmentation and isolation of patches of stable meadows: this can be explained by the lower availability of arthropods (consisting mostly of Orthoptera) found in mosaics of alternating meadows interspersed with annual crops. In such conditions, a low density of pairs was observed, along with an increase in territorial boundaries and greater distance between the nests. In the sectors characterised by large, multi-annual stable meadows, with more diverse and abundant entomofauna, supporting a higher number of breeding pairs, a significant contraction of home ranges is observed, with an increased concentration of nesting sites, and higher intraspecific tolerance. Between 2019 and 2021 a total of 17 artificial nest boxes were installed, 3 of which have been successfully occupied. Given the continuous anthropogenic transformation these territories are regularly facing, sometimes subtracting potential nesting or feeding sites due to crop rotation, coppicing, ex-novo construction of ground solar panel systems on agricultural land, etc., in order to protect and conserve this population of European Roller, it is desirable to put in place a greater number of artificial nest structures together with monitoring aimed at protecting the biodiversity of the territory.

Georeferencing of COVID-19 Positive Nasopharyngeal Swabs to Support Emergency Management in an Area of Northern Italy

Spatial distribution heterogeneity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been observed in several countries. While previous studies have covered vast geographic areas, detailed analyses on smaller territories are not available to date. The aim of our study was to understand the spatial spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a province of Northern Italy through the analysis of positive nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs. The study was conducted on subjects who lived in the province of Alessandria with at least one positive NP swab between 2 March and 22 December 2020. To investigate if clustering occurred, the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects over the total number of residents in each small administrative subregion was calculated and then mapped. A total of 17,260 subjects with at least one positive NP swab were included; the median age was 54 years (Interquartile range 38–72) and 54.9% (n = 9478) of our study population were female. Among the 192 towns scanned, 26 showed a prevalence between 5% and 7.5%, one between 7.5% and 10% and two with more than 10% positive swabs. The territories with a higher prevalence of positive subjects were located in areas with at least one nursing home and potential clusters were observed within these structures. The maps produced may be considered a useful and important monitoring system to identify areas with a significant and relevant diffusion of SARS-CoV-2.

New phreatic and stygobitic hydrobiids from the Northern Apennines in Piedmont, Liguria and Emilia-Romagna (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Hydrobiidae)

Five new species of phreatic and stygobitic hydrobiids are here described for the Ligurian- Piedmontese and Emilian Apennines. Two species belong to the genus Alzoniella: Alzoniella borberensis n. sp., endemic to the sub-basin of the Borbera and Spinti streams, and to the lower stretch of the Scrivia stream, in the province of Alessandria, and Alzoniella isoensis n. sp., limited to the middle course of the Scrivia stream and to the basin of the Polcevera stream, on the Tyrrhenian sector of the Genoa province. Three species belong to the genus Fissuria: Fissuria globosa n. sp., widespread throughout the sub-basin of the Scrivia stream (Genoa and Alessandria provinces), as well as in other Apennine watercourses of the provinces of Alessandria, Piacenza, Parma and Reggio Emilia; Fissuria varicosa n. sp., present in the same area of Alzoniella borberensis n. sp., but also found in the Nure and Arda streams (Piacenza province) and in the Stirone stream (Parma province), and Fissuria sossoi n. sp., limited to the sub-basin of the Stura di Ovada streams (Genoa province). The first species, assigned to the genus Alzoniella Giusti & Bodon 1984 based on its anatomical characters, has a shell with peristome detached from the last whorl, such as that of other phreatic species already known for eastern Liguria and central Italy, but differs from these in the shorter shell. The shape of the shell of A. borberensis n. sp. resembles that of other crenal or stygobitic species, widespread in northern Italy. A. isoensis n. sp., is very similar to A. borberensis, although the peristome is not sinuous superiorly on the outer edge of the shell, but differs sharply in the anatomical characters. The other taxa with valvatoid shells here described, can be ascribed to the genus Fissuria Boeters 1981 based on their anatomical characters, and show some peculiarities of the male genital tract that distinguish them from the other congeneric species so far known for southern Europe. The three new species of Fissuria differ mainly in the characters of the shell, more or less globose in F. globosa n. sp., more conical in F. sossoi n. sp. and more flattened in F. varicosa n. sp.; the latter is also characterized by the presence of a marked varix behind the peristome. Altogether, these new species can be defined as phreatic, as they colonize groundwater near watercourses; only A. isoensis n. sp. has a wider ecology, as it also lives in karst groundwater and groundwater in rocks permeable by fracking.
 [Article in Italian]

Red-crested pochard, <em>Netta rufina</em>, breeding population in Piedmont (North Western Italy)

[The breeding of the Red-crested pochard in Piedmont is known since 2006, when it was first described in a pond near the town of Asti. Data were collected from specific databases and from field observations performed in 3 sites located in the Asti province and 2 sites in the Cuneo province, all of them placed along the Tanaro riversides. A further site is located in the province of Alessandria near the Po river along the border of Lombardy. On the whole, in the time span 2006-2019 the number of breeding pairs increased from 2 to a maximum of 7 per year. A total of 64 females with 326 chicks were recorded (average 5.1/female), June being the most favorable month for reproduction. Results point to the occurrence of a seemingly stable small breeding population. The lack of any kind of legal site protection, the anthropogenic disturbance (hunting, fishing, abandoning wastes), and the loss of the ideal habitat for reproduction are among the critical threats for the maintenance of a vital breeding population. There was a probable case of nest parasitism by Mallard duck, which is seldom observed since the opposite situation seems to be more common.]
 
 [Article in Italian]

Does the Introduction of Alien Species Represent a Sanitary Threat for Native Species? The Case of the Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus in Italy.

Introduction of alien species is a well-known threat to biodiversity. Where newly introduced, alien species may pose a risk for the local ecological community by competing for resources or by introducing pathogens. Sylvilagus floridanus is an American lagomorph introduced into Europe in the second half of 20th century, for hunting. This study evaluated the structure and epidemiological characteristics of the gastrointestinal parasite community in an introduced population of S. floridanus in the Province of Alessandria (Piedmont Region—Italy). Three alien parasites were reported out of 271 animals: Obeliscoides cuniculi in the stomach, Trichostrongylus calcaratus in the small intestine, and Passarulus nonnanulatus in the large intestine. All these nematodes are commonly reported in S. floridanus in its natural range, but they represent alien species in Europe. The report of these alien parasites is an example of the unexpected consequences caused by the introduction of non-native vertebrates. The documented introduction of new pathogens may alter the parasite community of the native lagomorphs, with possible long-term effects on local ecological dynamics.

Analysis of the earthen architectural heritage in Piedmont (northern Italy): typologies, construction techniques and materials

Piedmont is characterized by the presence of numerous earthen buildings mainly concentrated in the province of Alessandria. Studies conducted over the last decade, however, have shown the presence of interesting examples of these buildings also in the provinces of Asti, Torino, Biella and Cuneo. They are generally two-storied rural constructions, built with both fired bricks (for the bearing structures) and adobe (for internal and external walls).

Haemoparasites in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa): first record of Haemoproteus sp. in Italy?

During a health survey in the Province of Alessandria (NW Italy) 267 free ranging red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa; 137 males and 130 females) were captured in 2009 (n = 101), 2010 (n = 130) and 2011 (n = 36). After biometric data and blood samples collection, animals were released on site. Blood samples were used for the preparation of blood smears. A total of 1.5% of smears presented parasites with a light blue finely granular cytoplasm in red blood cells. The parasites were identified, on the basis of their morphology (no molecular identification was possible), as being Haemoproteus sp. juvenile forms. The infestation prevalence was 0.8% in 2010 and 8.3% in 2011. No parasite was observed in 2009. The size of the infested erythrocytes was not altered (P > 0.05) and the nuclear displacement ratio was 0.8 ± 0.2. All the birds were apparently in good health status. To our knowledge this is the first description of Haemoproteus sp. in red-legged partridge, and more in general in birds belonging to Galliformes Order in Italy.

Breeding bird communities in an area of the Northern Apennines (Piedmont, NW Italy)

During the Spring of 2011, we studied the bird community in an area of Val Borbera, in the province of Alessandria (NW Italy). In the study area, situated at an altitude between 655 and 1700 m a.s.l., we conducted 110 points count ten minutes each in four microhabitats (agricultural areas, shrubs, forests, and prairies). In total, we surveyed 72 species, of which 51 were passerine and 21 non passerine. The most abundant species were Sylvia atricapilla, Phylloscopus collybita, Apus apus, and Turdus merula. In the agricultural areas, we detected a total of 50 species (Sylvia atricapilla, Parus major, Turdus merula were the most abundant). In the shrubs, we detected 30 species (Sylvia atricapilla, Parus major, Fringilla coelebs, Phylloscopus collybita, Turdus merula, Erithacus rubecula were the most abundant). In the forest areas, we found 45 species (Sylvia atricapilla, Parus major, Fringilla coelebs, Phylloscopus collybita, Turdus merula, Erithacus rubecula were the most abundant), and in the prairies, we detected 48 species (Alauda arvensis, Anthus campestris, Sylvia atricapilla, Turdus merula, Anthus trivialis, Sylvia communis were the most abundant). Compared to the other macro habitats, the agricultural areas have a significantly high abundance and richness in species, which highlights the importance of the agricultural mosaics in the Piedmont and mountain areas. The data which has been collected so far confirms the important role of this area, given the presence of some species which are rare at a regional scale.

Spatial epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Piedmont and Aosta Valley, Italy: a population-based cluster analysis.

The analysis of the spatial distribution of cases could give important cues on putative environmental causes of a disease. Our aim was to perform a spatial analysis of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cohort from the Piedmont and Aosta Valley ALS register (PARALS) over a 20-year period. The address at the moment of diagnosis was considered for each ALS case. Municipalities' and census divisions' resident populations during the 1995-2014 period were obtained. A cluster analysis was performed adopting both Moran's index and the Kulldorff spatial scan statistic. A total of 2702 ALS patients were identified. An address was retrieved for 2671 (99%) patients. Moran's index was -0.01 (P value 0.83), thus revealing no clusters. SaTScan identified no statistically significant clusters. When census divisions were considered, Moran's index was 0.13 (P value 0.45); SaTScan revealed one statistically significant small cluster in the province of Alessandria. Here, 0.0099 cases were expected and three cases were observed (relative risk 304.60; 95% confidence interval 109.83-845.88, P value 0.03). Our study showed a substantial homogeneous distribution of ALS cases in Piedmont and Aosta Valley. The population-based setting and the adoption of proper statistical analyses strengthen the validity of our results. Such a finding further suggests the involvement of multiple environmental and genetic factors in ALS pathogenesis.

The Neolithic greenstone industry of Brignano Frascata (Italy): Archaeological and archaeometric study, implications and comparison with coeval sites in the Grue, Ossona and Curone valleys

The Neolithic greenstone industry of Brignano Frascata (Province of Alessandria, Piemonte Region, Northern Italy) was investigated with an archaeometric approach involving both morpho-typological and mineral-petrographic methods, in order to reconstruct the manufacturing techniques/habits and locate the supply sources of the raw materials. The outcomes were compared with those collected on similar tools from other sites of the same region, namely in the Grue, Ossona and Curone valleys, as well as others resulting from a pilot comparative study on analogous geological specimens from close Quaternary alluvial and/or Oligocene conglomeratic deposits. This survey proved that Brignano Frascata should be considered as a local atelier for the production/trade of polished stone implements in Neolithic, devoted to daily uses with no ritual purposes. Several indicators point to an in situ manufacturing (high number of retrieved roughouts/fragmented tools, broken during production/use), which also fed trade/exchange forms on short-to-medium distances. Although displaying gross processing features and lack of finishing, these tools show an excellent selection of lithologies, marked by predominance of ‘Na-pyroxene rocks’. Several mineral-petrographic resemblances are observed with analogous geological samples from local sources, as well as with coeval implements from other Northern Italy sites, suggesting a common supply source or the existence of a trade channel. By considering the mineral-chemical features of the rocks used to produce these tools, referred to the particular geologic context of discovery (eastern part of the Voltri Group), the chance for the raw materials to derive from secondary deposits of close conglomeratic formations and/or alluvial beds of streams flowing in the adjoining valleys is proposed.

3537 POSTER “More Health for You – Better Care for Your Family” Campaign for Cancer Awareness and Prevention Targeted at Immigrant Women in the Province of Alessandria, Northwest Italy

3537 POSTER “More Health for You – Better Care for Your Family” Campaign for Cancer Awareness and Prevention Targeted at Immigrant Women in the Province of Alessandria, Northwest Italy

Molecular approach for identification of mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in Province of Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy

The aim of the present work was to identify cryptic species in the Anopheles maculipennis and Culex pipiens complexes and to study the genetic structure of the dominant mosquito species Ochlerotatus caspius (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Province of Alessandria close to the vast area untreated rice fields in Piedmont, NW Italy. With the help of PCR-RFLP analysis, four members of the Anopheles maculipennis complex were identified: A. messeae, A. maculipennis, A. sacharovi and A. atroparvus. Only C. pipiens f. molestus was identified in 11 habitats studied in Piedmont. Partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) mitochondrial gene and the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes for Italian O. caspius are reported here for the first time. The results indicate that this species diverged from Iranian representatives of this species about one million years ago. The great diversity of mosquito species in Piedmont considerably increases the risk of vector-borne diseases.

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus Floridanus) as Carrier of Dermatophyte Fungi

Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus, fam. Leporidae), introduced into Piedmont (Italy) in the 1960s, was studied as carrier of dermatophyte fungi. Of 216 hair samples collected from animals culled between September 1999 and July 2000 in the Province of Alessandria (Piedmont, Italy) during a pest control project, 57 (26.4%) yielded dermatophyte colonies. As two different species of dermatophytes grew from two samples, a total of 59 fungal isolates (26.5%) were obtained. Six dermatophyte species both geophilic (M. gypseum, M. cookei, Trichophyton ajelloi, T. terrestre) and zoophilic (M. canis, T. mentagrophytes) were identified. No sex-related differences were found but season-related differences were observed. The highest prevalence of dermatophyte-positive samples was recorded in May-September, due to the geophilic fungi whose prevalence decreased during colder and increased during warmer months (p < 0.001). The presence of zoophilic dermatophytes, T. mentagrophytes, commonly associated with rodents, small mammals and lagomorphs and M. canis, usually correlated with domestic environment, did not change the whole year round. As Eastern cottontail has been showed to be a carrier of dermatophytes transmissible to man (M. canis, T. mentagrophytes and M. gypseum), it may represent a source of infection for gamekeepers, hunters and veterinarians.

21 “Smoking damages relationships, smoking is for sissies.”Communication strategies in a campaign against environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) addressing school-age children in the province of Alessandria

21 “Smoking damages relationships, smoking is for sissies.”Communication strategies in a campaign against environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) addressing school-age children in the province of Alessandria

MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN ITALY: SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVE FOR THE PIEDMONT REGION

MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN ITALY: SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVE FOR THE PIEDMONT REGION

Distribution of the Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus in the province of Alessandria

The Eastern cottontail, a lagomorph native to the American continent, was introduced to N-Italy in the mid-1960s. In subsequent years a rapid territorial expansion and a remarkable de- mographic increase has been observed in many areas. In the province of Alessandria, NW Italy, we used night-time censuses with spotlights and road mortality assessment to evaluate the diffusion of the species and its trend. Night-time censuses were performed each year in spring and in autumn along 51 transects which were 10 km long on average. Road deaths were extracted from our 6715 records regarding 85 species of mammals, birds and reptiles found dead along the roads. The distribution area expanded markedly from the 1980s, and the expansion persisted between 1996 and 1997, while in 1998 the area failed to increase further, settling at around 620-660 km2. The species is not present, at the moment, in the entire Apennine sector nor in the eastern and southern plains. The densities reach maximum values of 2.5-2.75 inddividualdl0 ha. From the road-death data we found a progressive in- crease of the Eastern cottontail, its proportion of the total mammals rising from 2.2% in 1995 to 3.7% in 1996 and 6.0% in 1997.

La Chrétienté et l'idée de Croisade (review)

Short notices Alphandery, Paul and Alphonse Dupront, La Chretiente et I'idee de Croisade, postface de Michel Balard (Bibliotheque de «L'evolution de l'humanite»), 2nd ed., Paris, Editions Albin Michel, 1995; pp. 597; R.R.P. ? The history of the making of this book is almost as fascinating as the book itself. It was conceived in the years before the First World War by Paul Alphandery, who continued to work on it until his death in 1932. His student Alphonse Dupront then undertook to see it to publication at the request of Alphandery's family but took over twenty years to complete his task, the book finally appearing in two volumes in 1954 and 1959. The book whichfinallyappeared was not the one which Alphandery conceived. At his death he left a typescript of 1098 pages which he had used for his seminar at the Ecole pratique des hautes etudes, but which was incomplete. H e had only begun to work on the thirteenth century. The tasks offillingout the work on the one hand and of editing it down for publication on the other had to be done by Dupront. Predictably, the process of seeing Alphandery's work through to publication was complicated by the different nature of Dupront's interests to those of his master. H e was far more interested in the psychological aspects of religion than Alphanery had been, and in 1956 he defended at the Sorbonne his own massive and still unpublished doctoral thesis of 2,681 pages on Le mythe de Croisade. Essai de sociologie religieuse. The valuable postface by Michel Balard draws out this internal history of the book and comments upon its continuing value extremely well. In the 1950s the work of Alphandery and Dupront was important because it brought to the study of the Crusades new insights from the perspective of the history of mentalities, collective psychology, the history of ideas, and popular religion. Any serious student of the Crusades must s t i l l read it, and for that reason this new paperback edition is very welcome. But the book has attracted criticism, particularly directed at aspects of its methodology, and the enormous advances made in Crusading studies since then has made of it a book which will increasingly be read more for its stimulus than for its authority. Whereas Karl Erdmann's Die Enstehung des Kreuzzugsgedankens (1935) was translated into English in as 77ie origin of 194 Short notices the idea of Crusade (1977), one feels that Alphandery and Dupront probably never will be now. John H. Pryor Department of History University of Sydney Atti del Convegno "Strevi nel millenio" 991-1991, Alessandria, Comune di Strevi, 1991; paper; pp. 166; numerous colour and monochrome plates (not numbered); R.R.P. ? This attractive publication celebrates the millenium of the oldest known reference to the small town of Strevi (Septebrium) in the province of Alessandria. It contains a number of papers of interest to medievalists including "II monachesimo nella diocesi di Acqui", "Strevi tra acquesi ed alessandrini nei secoli XII-XIII", "II culto di San Bovo in Strevi", and "In margine al dibattito sui nome di Strevi". However, the most important study consists of the Latin text and an Italian translation of "La carta di fondazione e donazione dell'abbazia di San Quintino in Spigno—4 maggio 991", in which Strevi is mentioned for thefirsttime (as Septeuro). John H. Pryor Department of History University of Sydney Beckwith, Christopher I., The Tibetan empire in central Asia: a history o the strugglefor great power among Tibetans, Turks, Arabs and Chinese during the early Middle Ages, 4th printing, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1993; paper; pp. xxii, 281; 2 maps; R.R.P. U S $ ? As Professor Beckwith says in the Afterword which has been added to the paperback edition of this book, ' . . . the total number of "specialists" in early medieval Central Asian history probably does not exceed a dozen worldwide' (and this reviewer is certainly not one of them). One might wonder, therefore, why such a book has m n through two additional printings in hard cover and now a paperback edition since it was first published in 1987? The answer is, simply, that...

La presenza diEuphorbia hybernaL. subsp.insularis(Boiss.) Briq. sull'Appennino ligure

Abstract The presence of Euphorbia hyberna L. subsp. insularis (Boiss.) Briq. in the Ligurian Apennines. — The author studies the geographical distribution and the ecology of Euphorbia hyberna L. subsp. insularis (Boiss.) Briq. in the Ligurian Apennines, where the plant occurs in several stations which are localized in two distinct areas: in the group of Mt. Dente (province of Genoa) and near the Capanne di Marcarolo (province of Alessandria). Euphorbia insularis is recorded only in Liguria, the Apuane Alps (Tuscany), Corsica and Sardinia. The climatic, edaphic, topographic and biotic characteristics of the stations in which the plant is found in Liguria are pointed out. It grows in different environmental conditions, but occurs only in localities with northerly or north easterly exposure, at altitudes between 700 and 950 m; it attains the best development in open places, like grassland and glades, where it grows profusely. On the whole, Euphorbia insularis requires a climate characterized by a strong oce...