The Vegetation of Etna. 2026. 61 col. figs. 171 tabs. 451 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.(ISBN 978-3-946583-57-8)

Due July 2026. Orders will be

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1. Introduction11

Chapter 2. Physiography15
2.1 Geographical Characteristics of Etna Mount15
2.2 Hydrology15
2.3 Geology20
2.4 Soils23
2.5 Climate24

Chapter 3. History of Flora and Vegetation 31
3.1 Flora31
3.2 Vegetation 47

Chapter 4. Syntaxonomical Arrangment of Vegetation 53

Chapter 5. Hydrophilous Vegetation63
5.1 Lemnetum gibbae64
5.2 Lemno-Spirodeletum polyrrhizae64
5.3 Potamogetono pectinati-Myriophylletum spicati65
5.4 Ranunculetum penicillati65
5.5 Ranunculo trichophylli-Montietum variabilis66
5.6 Coronopo squamati-Sisymbrielletum dentatae67

Chapter 6. Amphibious Helophitic Vegetation71
6.1 Phragmitetum australis73
6.2 Polygono salicifolii-Phragmitetum australis74
6.3 Typhetum angustifoliae75
6.4 Typhetum latifoliae76
6.5 Typho angustifoliae-Schoenoplectetum tabernaemontani77
6.6 Junco subulati-Bolboschoenetum maritimi77
6.7 Festuco arundinaceae-Cyperetum distachyi79
6.8 Puccinellietum fasciculatae81
6.9 Festuco arundinaceae-Juncetum subulati81
6.10 Festuco arundinaceae-Caricetum divisae82
6.11 Festuco arundinaceae-Elytrigietum athericae83
6.12 Sparganietum erecti84
6.13 Helosciadietum nodiflori85
6.14 Eleocharito palustris-Alismetum lanceolati88
6.15 Cyperetum longi88
6.16 Caricetum ripariae89
Chapter 7. Halophilous Vegetation91
7.1 Crithmo maritimi-Limonietum virgati92
7.2 Limonietum tauromenitani92
7.3 Glaucio flavi-Matthioletum tricuspidatae95
7.4 Frankenio pulverulentae-Catapodietum balearici 96
7.5 Trifolio scabri-Catapodietum balearici98
7.6 Parapholido incurvae-Spergularietum bocconei99
7.7 Podospermo cani-Parapholidetum pycnanthae99
7.8 Chamaemelo praecocis-Leontodontetum muelleri 102
7.9 Sphaenopo divaricati-Spergularietum diandrae102

Chapter 8. Chasmophilous and Comophilous Vegetation 105
8.1 Eucladio-Adiantetum capilli-veneris107
8.2 Erucastretum virgati107
8.3 Phagnalo saxatilis-Cheilanthetum maderensis109
8.4 Bartramio strictae-Polypodietum cambrici109
8.5 Bartramio strictae-Dryopteridetum pallidae112
8.6 Anogrammo leptophyllae-Selaginelletum denticulatae 113
8.7 Scorpiuro circinnati-Anogrammetum leptophyllae 114
8.8 Pohlio crudae-Cystopteridetum dickieanae116
8.9 Brachytecio velutini-Asplenietum trichomanis116
8.10 Asplenio septentrionalis-Dryopteridetum filicis-mas 119
8.11 Parietarietum judaicae121
8.12 Capparietum rupestris121
8.13 Centranthetum rubri123
8.14 Hyosciamo albi-Parietarietum judaicae 123
8.15 Antirrhinetum siculi 124
8.16 Centrantho rubri-Hypericetum majoris127
8.17 Asplenio quadrivalentis-Parietarietum judaicae129
8.18 Sedo dasyphylli-Ceterachetum officinarum129
8.19 Asplenio quadrivalentis-Umbilicetum horizontalis 130
8.20 Asplenio quadrivalentis-Centranthetum rubri133

Chapter 9. Glareicolous Vegetation 135
9.1 Centrantho rubri-Senecionetum ambigui 136
9.2 Arrhenathero nebrodensis-Euphorbietum rigidae 138
9.3 Loto cretici-Helichrysetum siculi 140

Chapter 10. Megaforbic Vegetation 141
10.1 Calystegio silvaticae-Arundinetum donacis142
10.2 Urtico dioiceae-Sambucetum ebuli143
10.3 Angelico sylvestris-Urticetum diocae145
10.4 Katapsuci silaifoliae-Geocaryetum capillifolii145
10.5 Origano heracleotici-Thalictretum minoris148
10.6 Calamagrosti epigeji-Epilobietum angustifolii148

Chapter 11. Ruderal Vegetation151
11.1 Pteridio aquilini-Tanacetum siculi153
11.2 Onopordo illyrici-Verbascetum macruri153
11.3 Atriplici halimi-Halimionietum portulacoidis155
11.4 Suaedo verae-Atriplicetum halimi155
11.5 Capparido siculae-Salsoletum oppositifoliae157
11.6 Salsoletum agrigentinae157
11.7 Atriplici halimi-Artemisietum arborescentis158
11.8 Tropaeolo majoris-Ricinetum communis159
11.9 Ipomoeo purpureae-Ricinetum communis160
11.10 Nicotiano glaucae-Ricinetum communis160

Chapter 12. Vegetation of Trampled Soils163
12.1 Euphorbio-Oxalidetum corniculatae163
12.2 Crassulo tillaeae-Saginetum apetalae164
12.3 Polycarpo tetraphylli-Spergularietum rubrae165
12.4 Polycarpo tetraphylli-Laphangietum luteoalbi167
12.5 Trisetario aureae-Crepidetum bursifoliae167
12.6 Arabidopsio thalianae-Cardaminetum hirsutae167
12.7 Coronopo didymi-Poetum maroccanae169

Chapter 13. Annual Commensal, Ruderal Nitrophilous Vegetation 171
13.1 Loto hispidi-Anthemidetum incrassatae172
13.2 Chenopodietum muralis174
13.3 Amarantho viridis-Chenopodietum muralis175
13.4 Lavateretum arboreae176
13.5 Lavatero creticae-Malvetum nicaeensis178
13.6 Chenopodio muralis-Parietarietum judaicae179
13.7 Heliotropietum bocconei180
13.8 Salsoletum basalticae181
13.9 Setario ambiguae-Cyperetum rotundi183
13.10 Hordeo leporini-Sisymbrietum orientalis184
13.11 Centauretum napifoliae186
13.12 Hordeo leporini-Senecionetum squalidi186
13.13 Hordeo leporini-Sisymbrietum erysimoidis186
13.14 Galactito tomentosi-Isatidetum canescentis189
13.15 Galactito tomentosi-Knautietum integrifoliae189
13.16 Ammoido pusillae-Trifolietum gussoneani192
13.17 Galio aparinae-Vicietum melanopsis193
13.18 Echio pustulati-Lupinetum angustifolii193
13.19 Anchuselletum creticae195
13.20 Echio pustulati-Anchusetum hybridae198
13.21 Fumario capreolatae-Stellarietum neglectae200
13.22 Acantho mollis-Smyrnietum olusatri202
13.23 Parietario judaicae-Achyranthetum siculae205
13.24 Urtico membranaceo-piluliferae206

Chapter 14. Natural and Seminatural Annual Sciaphilous Vegetation 207
14.1 Galio muralis-Sedetum cepaeae208
14.2 Cardamino hirsutae-Stachyetum arvensis209
14.3 Sedo stellati-Campanuletum dichotomae210
14.4 Geranio lucidi-Cardaminetum graecae210
14.5 Cruciato pedemontanae-Buglossoidetum splitgerberi213
14.6 Erophilo vernae-Sedetum hispanici215

Chapter 15. Mediteterranean Herbaceous Xerophilous Pastures 217
15.1 Trifolio nigrescentis-Poetum bulbosaei217
15.2 Poo bulbosae-Paronichyetum argenteae220

Chapter 16. Acidophilous Xero-Therophytic Vegetation 221
16.1 Linario simplicis-Ophioglossetum lusitanici222
16.2 Trifolio aetnensis-Tuberarietum guttatae223
16.3 Airo caryophylleae-Logfietum heterantae226
16.4 Petrosedo tenuifolii-Micropyretum tenelli227
16.5 Rumici gallici-Sedetum coerulei228
16.6 Tillaeetum basalticae230
16.7 Sedo hispanici-Saxifragetum tridactylitis230
16.8 Violo parvulae-Scleranthetum aetnensis233
16.9 Sclerantho aetnensis-Saginetum hawaiensis234
16.10 Sclerantho aetnensis-Sedetum aetnensis235
16.11 Sclerantho aetnensis-Taeniatheretum capitis-medusae237
16.12 Ranunculo rotundifolii-Corynephoretum articulati238
16.13 Sclerantho aetnensis-Molinerielletum minutae239
16.14 Moenchio erectae-Violetum hymettiae240

Chapter 17. Xerophilous Grassland Vegetation243
17.1 Eryngio dichotomi-Lygeetum sparti244
17.2 Carlino globosae-Hyparrhenietum hirtae244
17.3 Imperato cylindricae-Hyparhenietum hirtae247
17.4 Dichantio annulati-Hyparhenietum hirtae248
17.5 Lino collini-Stipetum siculae250
17.6 Achtathero bromoidis-Stipetum pulcherrimae250
17.7 Centrantho rubri-Euphorbietum ceratocarpae252
17.8 Thapsio garganicae-Feruletum communis254
17.9 Centaureetum sonchifoliae254
17.10 Dauco maximi-Oryzopsietum miliaceae255
17.11 Boerhaavio coccineae-Oryzopsietum miliaceae 256

Chapter 18. Meso-Hygrophilous Grassland Vegetation 259
18.1 Carici otrubae-Juncetum inflexi259
18.2 Cypero badii-Caricetum otrubae261
18.3 Epilobio hirsuti-Agropyretum repentis 262
18.4 Equiseto telmatei-Juncetum effusi263

Chapter 19. Orophilous Dwarf Shrub Vegetation 265
19.1 Astragaletum siculi266
19.2 Senecioni aetnensis-Anthemidetum aetnensis268
19.3 Festuco circummediterraneae-Bellardiochloetum aetnensis 270
19.4 Phleo ambigui-Secaletum stricti272
19.5 Festuco circummediterraneae-Populetum tremulae 272
19.6 Cerastio tomentosi-Hieracietum pallidi276
19.7 Rumici aetnensis-Potentilletum calabrae276
19.8 Erysimo etnensis-Prangetum ferulaceae277
19.9 Erysimo etnensis-Stipetum siculae279

Chapter 20. Shrubland and Mantle Vegetation281
20.1 Adenocarpo bivonae-Genistentum aetnensis282
20.2 Cytiso villosi-Genistentum aetnensis285
20.3 Rubo aetnici-Genistentum aetnensis285
20.4 Asparago aetnensis-Rosetum pouzinii287
20.5 Rubo ulmifolii-Aristolochietum sempervirentis288
20.6 Lathyro grandiflori-Rubetum ulmifolii291
20.7 Lonicero etruscae-Rosetum caninae291
20.8 Bryonio acutae-Rubetum ulmifolii292

Chapter 21. Hygrophilous Woody Vegetation295
21.1 Tamaricetum gallico-africanae295
21.2 Spartio juncei-Nerietum oleandri298
21.3 Salicetum albo-purpureae298
21.4 Platano orientalis-Salicetum gussonei301

Chapter 22. Orophilous Coniferous Woodland Vegetation303
22.1 Bellardiochloo aetnensis-Juniperetum hemisphaericae306
22.2 Junipero hemisphaericae-Pinetum calabricae308

Chapter 23. Mesophilous Woodland Vegetation311
23.1 Epipactido meridionalis-Fagetum sylvaticae312
23.2 Rubo aetnici-Fagetum sylvaticae315
23.3 Vicio cassubicae-Quercetum cerridis317
23.4 Agropyro panormitani-Quercetum congestae319
23.5 Doronico orientalis-Castaneetum sativae322
23.6 Agropyro panormitani-Populetum tremulae324
23.7 Daphno laureolae-Pinetum calabricae327
23.8 Cephalanthero longifoliae-Betuletum aetnensis 328
23.9 Hieracio criniti-Aceretum aetnensis330

Chapter 24. Thermophilous Woodland Vegetation333
24.1 Euphorbietum dendroidis 334
24.2 Pistacio tarebinthi-Celtidetum aetnensis336
24.3 Oleo oleaster-Quercetum virgilianae336
24.4 Celtido aetnensis-Quercetum virgilianae339
24.5 Teucrio siculi-Quercetum ilicis341
24.6 Sorbo graecae-Quercetum ilicis345
24.7 Arabido turritae-Quercetum congestae347
24.8 Festuco heterophyllae-Quercetum congestae347
24.9 Aceri aetnensis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae349
24.10 Phyllyreo latifoliae-Ostryetum carpinifoliae351

Chapter 25. Syndinamic Considerations355
25.1 Potential vegetation 356
25.2 Sigmeta361

Chapter 26. Etna habitats of Community Interest369

Chapter 27. Check list of the Etna Flora373

Chapter 28. Date and localities of the phytosociological relevès 403

Chapter 29. References 413

Acknowledgements451


This is a study of the plant communities currently observable along the slopes of Mount Etna, an active volcano localized in North-eastern Sicily. Mount Etna being one of the highest Mediterranean mountains together with the nature of the substrate and the volcanic activities, give a remarkable peculiarity to the whole Etnean environment, diversifying it in terms of flora and vegetation, both from the rest of Sicily and other Mediterranean countries. The geological, bioclimatic and paleogeographic vicissitudes that have affected this volcano over the millenia, find their maximum expression mainly in the marked originality of its flora, rich in endemic and rare speies with a relevant phytogeographical significance.