New data on the morphology, ecology and distribution of Lupinus gredensis (Fabaceae) in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

Lupinus gredensis is generally treated as an endemic species to the Iberian Peninsula, with some occurrences reported for the eastern Mediterranean, considered to be the result of an introduction. The finding of five populations attributable to L. gredensis on the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Etna (Sicily, Italy) is here reported for the first time. Lupinus gredensis samples from Mt. Etna were morphologically compared with fresh and herbarium preserved specimens of the related species L. luteus and L. hispanicus. The distribution and the ecology of the surveyed populations, as well as the phytosociological characterization of the plant communities hosting L. gredensis are defined. Finally, the chorological status of this species in Sicily is discussed through the review of the historical occurrence of L. luteus in the Mt. Etna area, providing new data on the putative distribution range of L. gredensis in the Mediterranean region.