Flora and habitats Of Vendicari Islet (Isola Di Vendicari) in south east Sicily

The vascular flora of 'Isola di Vendicari', a small islet (surface 4.45 hectares) located along the Ionian coast of south east Sicily, has been investigated. The surveyed taxa at specific and infraspecific level amount to 80, of which 21 are new records from this islet. The life form spectrum of the current flora brings out the dominance of therophytes as well as a significant occurrence of hemicryptophytes. The plant communities colonizing the surface of the islet have been investigated from floristic, phytosociological and ecological points of view. The vegetation is represented mainly by psammophilous and halophilous aspects. As regards the conservation area policy, the islet falls within the Nature Reserve of Vendicari, which is also a SCI of the Natura 2000 network, showing its remarkable importance for the biodiversity conservation.