Recent field investigations, performed across some of the less floristically known sectors of Calabria, have led to the discovery of Salsola tragus and Thymelaea gussonei, two new species for the regional vascular flora. By providing crucial biogeographical and taxonomic remarks, this work aims to contribute to the improvement of the knowledge of the rich, diversified and still poorly known native flora of Calabria. The biogeographical value of these new findings underlines the decisive role of field survey in the enhancement of the information on regional biodiversity, the essential basis for every further ecological study and conservation effort.

While alien organisms, vascular plants included, are progressively increasing their worldwide impact on habitats, the present research confirms a similar dangerous trend for Calabria, the southernmost and floristically richest region of Italian Peninsula. The set of additional alien taxa here recorded for the vascular flora of Calabria includes: Acacia melanoxylon, Bidens subalternans, Buddleja davidii, Cucurbita moschata, Cyclospermum leptophyllum, Erigeron annuus subsp. annuus, Hesperocyparis glabra, Ligustrum ovalifolium, Mahonia aquifolium, Morus indica, Oenothera speciosa, Prunus serotina, Pyracantha fortuneana, Rudbeckia laciniata, Solanum nitidibaccatum, Sparaxis bulbifera, Tradescantia cerinthoides, Ulmus pumila. These additional 18 taxa bring the total number of alien species from 382 to 400. The most represented biological forms are scapose therophyte and scapose phanerophyte with 5 species (27.8% of the total). The most frequent biogeographic origins of the surveyed species are North America (6 species; 33.3%), followed by Asia and South America both with 4 species (22.2%). The most common habitats hosting the recorded alien taxa are roadsides (8 species; 44.4%), although all surveyed plants have been found in deeply anthropized environments. The altitude of occurrence, extending 3 to 1,286 m a.s.l., together with other ecological data provided, demonstrate the ability of aliens to potentially colonize a wide range of environments in the region.

Calabria is a floristic hotspot just at the center of Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, an increasing number of alien plant species threats this natural heritage, exactly while the crucial role of botany in secondary schools of Italy has been definitely dismantled. Calabrian Native Project is an environmental education project planned by Istituto Tecnico Agrario of Catanzaro that, reintroducing some key concepts of botany and biogeography, allowing pupils to experience a botanical excursion in the close-to-the-school Mediterranean Biodiversity Park, gives them the opportunity to become acquainted with both native and alien species. Pupils are asked to collect native plant propagules and to seed or cultivate the material in the school greenhouses, and to take care of these plants until their use. The prevalent outdoor and laboratory approach to the issue of bioinvasions, make the project very effective. This feature, with the low cost and reduced technology inputs, make the project highly replicable in other contexts, just focusing appropriate target species.

Anthyllis hermanniae subsp. brutia, is an Italian endemic shrub occurring just in one locality by the Calabrian Ionian coast in southern Italy. Objective of this study is to provide data on population numbers, demography and ecology, as well as to identify the main threats on the long term conservation of the target taxon. The survey has been carried out through field census work, sampling biometric and dendrometric data, and applying simple statistics. The population, counting totally 962 individuals, is divided in two stands concentrated in the central part of the distribution area. It is restricted to a narrow belt on the inland part of the dune slope encompassed between an artificial pine forest at the dune top, and the dune-specialized vegetation on the slope. Some biometric insights, such as stem diameter, plant height and number of annual rings, suggest the role of micro-ecology in individual shaping. The most relevant threating factor for the long term conservation of this rare taxon is the rapidly spreading Pinus halepensis subsp. halepensis. Local population of this invasive alien species, deriving from planted individuals, is now invading the A. hermanniae subsp. brutia habitat. Chorological and ecological data here provided should hopefully steer further population dynamics investigation as well as any urgent environment management actions.