Chorological and ecological survey on the vascular and bryophytic flora in Enna (Erei Mountains, C-Sicily)

This work deals with the vascular and bryophyte flora of the territory of Enna (Erei Mountains), characterized by mesomediterranean upper termotype and subhumid upper ombrotype and by different types of substrata as calcarenite, marl-limestone, marl-clayey, clay, gypsum, limestone, deposited between the late Miocene and Quaternary period. An inventory of 618 vascular taxa subdivided into 76 families and 140 bryophytes subdivided into 29 families is presented. Biological and chorological data and notes on species habitats are provided. The tracheophyte chorological analysis highlights the dominance of Mediterranean species in line with the geographic position and climate of the studied area. Worthy of mention is the endemic contingent represented by 24 species, 8 of which are restricted to Sicily The vascular plants list includes species of notable phytogeographic significance as Serratula cichoracea subsp.cichoracea, occurring in Sicily in Enna only; Ophrys archimedea found in Sicily, in Enna and Palermo; Arrhenatherum nebrodense, distributed in Sicily prevalentely in the northern mountain ranges; Saxifraga hederacea, known in Italy, in Puglia and Sicily. The bryophyte chorological spectrum shows the dominance of Submediterranean and Temperate species in accordance with microclimatic features. Some bryophytes are new or rare for the Sicilian bryoflora: Weissia wimmeriana subsp. wimmeriana first record in Sicily; Syntrichia handelii, second record in Sicily and Italian peninsula; Grimmia capillata. and Syntrichia papillosa, growing in Sicily only in the territory of Enna; Tortula revolvens, Syntrichia pagorum, Tortula israelis, Ditrichum cylindricum, Schistidium crassipilum, Schistidium singarense, Rhyncostegiella curviseta, present in few localities of the island.