University of Pisa study identifies new Armeria species in Italy

A study coordinated by the University of Pisa has redefined the distribution and classification of Armeria species in Italy and Sicily, resolving botanical uncertainties that persisted for over a century. Published in the journal TAXON, the research clarifies that Armeria canescens, previously thought to be part of Italian flora, actually grows only in the Balkans.

The study identifies a new autonomous species, Armeria pollinensis, located in the Pollino Massif between Basilicata and Calabria. This discovery brings the total number of endemic Armeria species in Italy to fifteen, establishing the country as the world’s second-largest center of biodiversity for this genus, following the Iberian Peninsula.

Led by researcher Manuel Tiburtini, the study utilized DNA analysis, morphological measurements, and chromosomal studies of 21 populations and over 2,000 seeds. Tiburtini’s doctoral thesis on this subject received the International Doctoral Prize from the Italian Botanical Society.