New alien vascular species for the flora of southern Italy

<p>In the present work new or confirmed alien not-cultivated vascular plants are reported for the flora of the southern Italy regions: <i>Acalypha virginica</i>, <i>Alcea biennis</i> subsp. <i>biennis</i>, <i>Bidens subalternans</i>, <i>Cardamine occulta</i>, <i>Casuarina equisetifolia</i>, <i>Cedrus atlantica</i>, <i>Cedrus deodara</i>, <i>Chamaeiris orientalis</i>, <i>Cotula coronopifolia</i>, <i>Elodea canadensis</i>, <i>Eragrostis mexicana</i> subsp. <i>virescens</i>, <i>Euphorbia nutans</i>, <i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i>, <i>Ficus microcarpa</i>, <i>Hesperocyparis arizonica</i>, <i>Hesperocyparis glabra</i>, <i>Kalanchoë</i> × <i>houghtonii</i>, <i>Lantana camara</i> subsp. <i>aculeata</i>, <i>Lemna minuta</i>, <i>Ligustrum sinense</i>, <i>Lobelia erinus</i>, <i>Lonicera japonica</i>, <i>Oenothera lindheimeri</i>, <i>Panicum capillare</i>, <i>Persicaria capitata</i>, <i>Phyla nodiflora</i>, <i>Schinus molle</i>, <i>Sedum palmeri</i>, <i>Sesbania punicea</i>, <i>Solanum elaeagnifolium</i>, <i>Solanum sisymbriifolium</i> and <i>Veronica peregrina</i>. Furthermore, <i>Lantana montevidensis</i> is new for the Italian alien flora, <i>Asparagus asparagoides</i> and <i>Tradescantia pallida</i> are reported for the first time in continental Italy, whereas <i>Cucurbita moschata</i>, <i>Nandina domestica</i> and <i>Taxodium distichum</i> are new for the Italian peninsula. Moreover, field surveys in Campania allow us to update at regional level the naturalization status of <i>Euphorbia nutans</i> (naturalized) and <i>Ligustrum sinense</i> (casual). The new data confirm that new non-native species are continuously introduced into the flora of southern Italy and it is noteworthy that several species, widely used in the reforestation since the middle of the last century, have undergone naturalization in recent years.