Dodonaea viscosa Jacq.

Raab-Straube, Eckhard von & Raus, Thomas, 2025, Euro + Med-Checklist Notulae, 18, Willdenowia 55 (1), pp. 107-144 : 132

Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. – Fig. 19.

A AE(G): Greece, East Aegean Islands: Rodos, road from Kalithea springs to Koskinou near abandoned quarry, 36°22'32.9"N, 28°13'41.8"E (WGS 84), 35 m, phrygana, plants with ripe and semi-ripe capsules, 9 & 16 Apr 2023, Katsillis & Kalaentzis (photo [ Fig. 19]); ibid., phrygana, with flowers and semi-ripe capsules, 24 Nov 2023, Kalaentzis (herb. Kalaentzis). – Dodonaea viscosa is reported here for the first time for Greece; the species was not mentioned in Dimopoulos & al. (2024) and Strid (2016). The genus Dodonaea Mill. currently comprises 72 accepted species ( POWO 2023), the vast majority of which are restricted to mainland Australia, except D. viscosa , which is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of the Old and New World. In the Euro+Med area the latter species is considered to be native in Libya, Egypt and Jordan ( Raab-Straube 2018c +); casual or naturalized introductions have been reported from Madeira ( Muer & al. 2020), Cyprus ( Hand 2010) and Palestine ( Danin 2004; Abd Rabou & al. 2019), recently also from Spain and Tunisia ( POWO 2024l). In Rodos, the plants were found on calcareous bedrock with red, Mediterranean soil (terra rossa) accompanied by Pinus brutia Ten. and shrubs typical of arid, phryganic vegetation such as Anthyllis hermanniae L., Euphorbia acanthothamnos Boiss. , Genista acanthoclada DC. and Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach. Other notable herbaceous plant species were Allium subhirsutum L., Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. rubriflora (DC.) Arcang. , Iberis carnosa Willd. , Sedum sediforme (Jacq.) Pau and Ranunculus paludosus Poir. More than five fruiting individuals of D. viscosa were observed, confirming the status as a population on the verge of naturalization ( Pyšek & al. 2004). A natural dispersal through wind or water ( Thorsen & al. 2009) from the nearest established population (presumably in Cyprus) seems rather unlikely given the distance between the two islands. Hence we assume that D. viscosa has been brought to Rodos through horticultural trade.

E. Katsillis, G. Pastrikos & K. Kalaentzis