Typification of the name Herniaria empedocleana (Caryophyllaceae)

Herniaria fontanesii subsp. empedocleana is a Sicilian endemic vascular plant which has probably gone extinct during the last decades. In this contribution we propose a lectotype for the basionym, Hernaria empedocleana described by Lojacono-Pojero, whose selected specimen is kept in PAL. Some details are also provided on the figure and scientific activity of Lojacono-Pojero, one of the most influential Sicilian botanists of the second half of the 19th century. Additionally, some considerations are shared on the need to translate the work of typification and identification of loci classici into an effective tool for safeguarding the naturalistic values of the territory.

Aghababyan M., Greuter W., Mazzola P. & Raimondo F.M., 2008 – Typification of names of Compositae taxa described from Sicily by Michele Lojacono-Pojero. Flora Mediterranea, 18: 513-528.

Bartolucci F. & Conti F., 2025 – Thymus apulus (T. sect. Hyphodromi, Lamiaceae), a new species from southern Italy. Plants, 14 (23), 3584. <https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233584> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233584

Bartolucci F., Galasso G., Peruzzi L. & Conti F., 2021 – Report 2020 on plant biodiversity in Italy: native and alien vascular flora. Natural History Sciences, 8 (1): 41-54. <https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2021.520> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2021.520

Bartolucci F., Galasso G., Peruzzi L. & Conti F., 2023 – Report 2021 on plant biodiversity in Italy: native and alien vascular flora. Natural History Sciences, 10 (1) (2022): 41-50. <https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2022.623>

Bartolucci F., Peruzzi L., Galasso G., Alessandrini A., Ardenghi N.M.G., Bacchetta G., Banfi E., Barberis G., Bernardo L., Bouvet D., Bovio M., Calvia G., Castello M., Cecchi L., Del Guacchio E., Domina G., Fascetti S., Gallo L., Gottschlich G., Guarino R., Gubellini L., Hofmann N., Iberite M., Jiménez-Mejías P., Longo D., Marchetti D., Martini F., Masin R.R., Medagli P., Peccenini S., Prosser F., Roma-Marzio F., Rosati L., Santangelo A., Scoppola A., Selvaggi A., Selvi F., Soldano A., Stinca A., Wagensommer R.P., Wilhalm T. & Conti F., 2024. – A second update to the checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy. Plant Biosystems, 158 (2): 219-296. <https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2024.2320126> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2024.2320126

Brullo C. & Brullo S., 2020 – Flora endemica illustrata della Sicilia. Laruffa Editore, Reggio Calabria.

Brullo S., Grillo M. & Scalia C., 1980 – Su una nuova associazione dei Pegano-Salsoletea osservata presso Porto Empedocle (Agrigento). Giornale Botanico Italaliano, 114 (1-2): 43-52. <https://doi.org/10.1080/11263508009426433> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/11263508009426433

Brullo C., Brullo S. & Giusso del Galdo G., 2011 – Suaeda kocheri (Chenopodiaceae), a new species from Sicily. Phyton, 51 (1): 89-94.

Brullo S., Brullo C., Cambria S., Tomaselli V., Crisafulli A., Siracusa G., Minissale P. & Giusso del Galdo G., 2023 – Taxonomic and ecological remarks on Solenopsis bivonae species complex (Campanulaceae). PhytoKeys, 229: 77-111. <https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.104324> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.104324

Brundu G., Peruzzi L., Domina G., Bartolucci F., Galasso G., Peccenini S., Raimondo F.M., Albano A., Alessandrini A., Banfi E., Barberis G., Bernardo L., Bovio M., Brullo S., Brunu A., Camarda I., Carta L., Conti F., Croce A., Iamonico D., Iberite M., Iiriti G., Longo D., Marsili S., Medagli P., Mariotti M. G., Pennesi R., Pistarino A., Salmeri C., Santangelo A., Scassellati E., Selvi F., Stinca A., Vacca G., Villani M., Wagensommer R.P. & Passalacqua N.G., 2017 – At the intersection of cultural and natural heritage: Distribution and conservation of the type localities of Italian endemic vascular plants. Biological Conservation, 214: 109-118.<https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.07.024> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.07.024

Cambria S., Giusso del Galdo G., Minissale P., Tavilla G. & Salmeri C., 2024 – Cyclamen brulloi (Primulaceae), a new species from Sicily (Italy). Kew Bulletin, 79 (3): 653-670. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10207-2> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10207-2

Cambria S., Ranno V., Minissale P., Giusso del Galdo G., Salmeri C., Monari D., La Rosa A., Siracusa G. & Scafidi F., 2025 – Notes on the Vicia tenuifolia complex with the description of a new species, V. barbatoi from Sicily. Taxonomy, 5 (4), 63. <https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy5040063> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy5040063

D’Antraccoli M., Peruzzi L., Conti F., Galasso G., Roma-Marzio F. & Bartolucci F., 2024 – Floristic richness in a Mediterranean hotspot: a journey across Italy. Plants, 13 (1), 12. <https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010012> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010012

Dia M.G., 1987 – L’opera di Michele Lojacono-Pojero per la illustrazione della Flora Sicula. In: I naturalisti e la cultura scientifica nell’Ottocento. Liotta G. (ed.). Atti del convegno, Palermo: 495-503.

Di Gristina E., Domina G., Raimondo F.M. & Scafidi F., 2017 – Typification of the name Abies nebrodensis (Pinaceae). Taxon, 66 (4): 970-972. <https://doi.org/10.12705/664.11> DOI: https://doi.org/10.12705/664.11

Domina G. & Mazzola P., 2007 – The genus Orobanche in Sicily. Taxa described by V. Tineo and M. Lojacono Pojero. Bocconea, 21: 223-232.

Domina G., Greuter W., Mazzola P. & Raimondo F.M., 2014a – Names of Italian vascular plants published by Michele Lojacono Pojero. Flora Mediterranea, 24: 215-232. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7320/FlMedit24.215

Domina G., Greuter W., Mazzola P. & Raimondo F.M., 2014b – La ricerca dei tipi di Michele Lojacono Pojero nell’“Herbarium Mediterraneum Panormitanum”. Museologia Scientifica Memorie, 11: 81-84.

Domina G., Greuter W. & Raimondo F.M., 2016 – Types of names of taxa belonging to the Centaurea cineraria group (Compositae) described from Sicily. Willdenowia, 46 (1): 23-26. <https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.46.46102> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.46.46102

Domina G., Scibetta S., Scafidi F. & Giovino A., 2017 – Contribution to the identification of Dianthus rupicola (Caryophyllaceae) subspecies using morphological and molecular approaches. Phytotaxa, 291 (1): 17-32. <https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.291.1.2> DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.291.1.2

Domina G., Abeli T., Alessandrini A., Angiolini C., Argenti C., Astuti G., Bacchetta G., Bagella S., Ballelli S., Banfi E., Barberis G., Barone G., Bernardo L., Bertolli A., Bianchi E., Bonari G., Bouvet D., Bovio M., Briozzo I., Brullo C., Brullo S., Calvia G., Caria M.C., Caputo P., Caruso G., Casazza G., Cecchi L., Cibei C., Cogoni D., Conti F., Crisafulli A., Croce A., Dagnino D., Del Guacchio E., Di Gristina E., Di Marzio P., Fanfarillo E., Farris E., Fascetti S., Fenu G., Ferrando U., Ferretti G., Fiaschi T., Fortini P., Fois M., Franzoni J., Galasso G., Galesi R., Ganz C., Gargano D., Giacò A., Gianguzzi L., Giardini M., Giusso del Galdo G., Guarino R., Gubellini L., Hofmann N., Iamonico D., Iberite M., Laface V.L.A., Lallai A., Lastrucci L., Lavezzo P., Lazzaro L., Longo D., Lucchese F., Maiorca G., Manca M., Marchetti D., Marsili S., Martini F., Mascia F., Medagli P., Mondello F., Montagnani C., Mugnai M., Musarella C.M., Nicolella G., Orsenigo S., Passalacqua N.G., Peccenini S., Pennesi R., Peruzzi L., Picone R.M., Pinzani L., Podda L., Prosser F., Rivieccio G., Roma-Marzio F., Rosati L., Salerno G., Santangelo A., Sciandrello S., Selvaggi A., Selvi F., Spampinato G., Stinca A., Tardella F.M., Tavilla G., Tilia A., Tondi G., Tognon G., Urbani M., Villani M., Wilhalm T., Zappa E. & Bartolucci F., 2025 – Refining the inventory of the vascular flora of Italy: Unconfirmed, doubtful, excluded or extinct taxa. Phytotaxa, 723 (1). <https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.723.1.1> DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.723.1.1

Iamonico D. & Domina G., 2023 – Studies on the genus Atriplex (Chenopodiaceae) in Italy. VIII. Names published by Vincenzo Tineo and Michele Lojacono-Pojero. Flora Mediterranea, 33: 49-59. <https://doi.org/10.7320/FlMedit33.049> DOI: https://doi.org/10.7320/FlMedit33.049

Lojacono-Pojero M., 1884 – Studi su piante critiche rare o nuove della flora di Sicilia. Il Naturalista Siciliano, 3 (10): 282-286.

Lojacono-Pojero M., 1907 – Herniaria Lin. In: Flora sicula o descrizione delle piante spontanee o indigenate in Sicilia. Lojacono-Pojero M. (ed.). Tipo-Litografia Salvatore Bizzarrilli, Palermo, 2 (2): 261-264.

Médail F. & Quézel P., 1997 – Hot-spots analysis for conservation of plant biodiversity in the Mediterranean Basin. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 84 (1): 112-127. <https://doi.org/10.2307/2399957> DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2399957

Myers N., Mittermeier R.A., Mittermeier C.G., Da Fonseca G.A.B. & Kent J., 2000 – Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403: 853-858. <https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501

Orsenigo S., Montagnani C., Fenu G., Gargano D., Peruzzi L., Abeli T., Alessandrini A., Bacchetta G., Bartolucci F., Bovio M., Brullo C., Brullo S., Carta A., Castello M., Cogoni D., Conti F., Domina G., Foggi B., Gennai M., Gigante D., Iberite M., Lasen C., Magrini S., Perrino E.V., Prosser F., Santangelo A., Selvaggi A., Stinca A., Vagge I., Villani M., Wagensommer R.P., Wilhalm T., Tartaglini N., Duprè E., Blasi C. & Rossi G., 2018 – Red Listing plants under full national responsibility: extinction risk and threats in the vascular flora endemic to Italy. Biological Conservation, 224: 213-222. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.05.030> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.05.030

Pasta S. & Troia A., 2024 –Typification of the name Cistus ×skanbergii Lojac., a rare rockrose extinct in its type locality. Natural History Sciences, 11 (1): 3-8. <https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2024.665> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2024.665

Peruzzi L., Domina G., Bartolucci F., Galasso G., Peccenini S., Raimondo F.M., Albano A., Alessandrini A., Banfi E., Barberis G., Bernardo L., Bovio M., Brullo S., Brundu G., Brunu A., Camarda I., Carta L., Conti F., Croce A., Iamonico D., Iberite M., Iiriti G., Longo D., Marsili S., Medagli P., Pistarino A., Salmeri C., Santangelo A., Scassellati E., Selvi F., Soldano A., Stinca A., Villani M.C., Wagensommer R.P. & Passalacqua N.G., 2015 – An inventory of the names of vascular plants endemic to Italy, their loci classici and types. Phytotaxa, 196 (1): 1-217. <https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.196.1.1> DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.196.1.1

Peruzzi L., Galasso G., Domina G., Bartolucci F., Santangelo A., Alessandrini A., Astuti G., D’antraccoli M., Roma-Marzio F., Ardenghi N.M.G., Barberis G., Conti F., Bernardo L., Peccenini S., Stinca A., Wagensommer R.P., Bonari G., Iamonico D., Iberite M., Viciani D., Del Guacchio E., Giusso Del Galdo G., Lastrucci L., Villani M., Brunu A., Magrini S., Pistarino A., Brullo S., Salmeri C., Brundu G., Clementi M., Carli E., Vacca G., Marcucci R., Banfi E., Longo D., Di Pietro R. & Passalacqua N.G., 2019 – An inventory of the names of native, non-endemic vascular plants described from Italy, their loci classici and types. Phytotaxa, 410 (1): 1-215. <https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.410.1.1> DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.410.1.1

Pignatti S., Guarino R. & La Rosa M., 2017 – Flora d’Italia. Volume 2. Edagricole, Bologna, 2a edizione.

POWO, 2017 – Plants of the world online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. <https://powo.science.kew.org/> (Retrieved in January 3, 2026).

Romero Zarco C., 2023 – Bromus cincinnatus (Poaceae): perennial oat-grass or annual bromegrass? Mediterranean Botany, 44, e84748. <https://doi.org/10.5209/mbot.84748> DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/mbot.84748

Scafidi F., Ferraro V. & Di Gristina E., 2020 – Typification of the name Eryngium siculum (Apiaceae). Phytotaxa, 461 (3): 222-224. <https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.461.3.10> DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.461.3.10

Stafleu F.A. & Cowan R.S., 1981 – Taxonomic literature. A selective guide to botanical publications and collections with dates, commentaries and types. Vol. III Lh-O (second edition). Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema, Utrecht. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/t.207599

Syed K., Andrade M.J. & Casares L.M., 2024 – Dismissed industrial areas: the urban project of the Montedison factory of Akragas in Porto Empedocle between the past, present, and future. Buildings, 14 (12), 3895. <https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123895> DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123895

Thiers B., 1997+ – Index herbariorum: a global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden. <http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/> (Retrieved in January 3, 2026).

Turland N.J., Wiersema J.H., Barrie F.R., Gandhi K.N., Gravendyck J., Greuter W., Hawksworth D.L., Herendeen P.S., Klopper R.R., Knapp S., Kusber W.-H., Li D.-Z., May T.W., Monro A.M., Prado J., Price M.J., Smith G.F. & Zamora Señoret J.C. (eds.), 2025 – International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Madrid Code). University of Chicago Press, Regnum Vegetabile, 162. <https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226839479.001.0001>