Bryophyte investigations in urban areas: diversity of bryoflora of Erice town

Abstract

This work is part of a study of bryophyte floras of Sicilian towns that has highlighted the presence in these environments of interesting taxa from the taxonomic and phytogeographical point of view (1, 2, 3, 4). Given its location, perched at 750 m a.s.l. on the S. Giuliano Mount at the northwestern tip of Sicily, the town of Erice has a climate which, although typically Mediterranean, has a strong wet connotation for the frequent presence of fog, especially in the winter time. These features contribute to creating conditions particularly suited to host bryophytes that grow both on artifacts and on phorophytes present in the city and specially in the Balio urban park. The study has allowed to find 53 taxa including 43 mosses and 10 liverworts. Taxonomic, chorological and ecological features of this bryoflora well accord with the geographical position and mesoclimatic characters of site. A comparison with the brioflora of other Sicilian towns shows it is a quite rich brioflora with a high incidence of oceanic-Mediterranean taxa. Finally, the presence of the taxon, Scorpiurium sendtneri (Schimp.) M.Fleisch., rare moss in Europe, is noteworthy.