Contribution to the "floristic knowledge of eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (Campania and Basilicata, southern Italy)

In order to improve the "floristic knowledge of the Italian territory, we report the inventory of the taxa collected during the annual #eld trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society held in 2015 in eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (South Italy). $e investigated territories are located in southern Apennines, along the border between the Campania and Basilicata administrative regions. $ese areas are scarcely known in terms of vascular "ora. $e "oristic samplings were performed in 19 sites selected as representative of the local environmental diversity as regards to climate, litho-morphology and land-use. $e research led to the identi#cation of 4,137 specimens of vascular plants, belonging to 815 species and subspecies, 399 genera, and 85 families. Among these taxa, 42 were endemic to Italy, 38 were included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora, 28 were alien and 5 were cryptogenic in Campania and/ or Basilicata administrative regions. Two taxa, Aquilegia coerulea (casual alien, native to North America) and Lolium ×boucheanum (native), were found to be new for Italy. On the basis of the available "oristic literature the #rst one is also to be considered new for the European "ora. At regional scale, we have found 18 taxa new for the Campania and 15 new for the Basilicata region. Finally, 10 taxa were con#rmed for Campania. Data obtained during this study, con#rmed the important role of a collaborative approach among botanists and the great relevance of these territories for plant diversity.