Podranea ricasoliana (Tanfani) Sprague

Raab-Straube, Eckhard von & Raus, Thomas, 2024, Euro + Med-Checklist Notulae, 17, Willdenowia 54 (1), pp. 5-45 : 10

Podranea ricasoliana (Tanfani) Sprague – Fig. 3.

A It: Italy: Liguria, Taggia (Imperia), 43.863695°N, 7.851043°E, 68 m, on a chalky SE-facing rock wall, 15 Sep 2022, Lonati, Pittarello & Nota (B 10 1246800).

– Podranea ricasoliana , commonly known as Port Saint Johns creeper, is a liana species generally considered endemic to South Africa, with a very restricted range confined to the mouth of the Mzimvubu River in Port Saint Johns, Eastern Cape Province ( Senar & Cardero 2019). However, many South African botanists suspect that this species may not be indigenous to S Africa but rather was introduced from E Africa ( Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia) by slave traders ( Malan & Notten 2002). As an ornamental species it is cultivated in all warm climate regions of the world. It is naturalized in N Africa ( Algeria), in the United States (Florida, Hawaii), Central and South America, Australia and New Zealand ( Hurrell & al. 2012; Senar & Cardero 2019). In the Euro+Med area, the species is considered a casual alien in the Canary Islands, and naturalized in the Azores, continental Spain and Corsica ( Laguna & Mateo 2001; Tison & de Foucault 2014; Raab-Straube 2018+b; Senar & Cardero 2019). In the locality described in this note, a large individual has settled on a vertical wall facing the Monastero di S. Caterina da Siena, while two other specimens grow in the terraces above. On the basis of our observations in the field, P. ricasoliana is to be considered a casual alien in Italy.

M. Lonati, M. Pittarello & G. Nota

Figures

Fig. 3. Podranea ricasoliana – A: flowering branch; B: habit. – Italy, Liguria, Taggia (Imperia), 15 Sep 2022, photographs by M. Lonati.