Page 2 - Geraci -Schicchi - 2002

178 Geraci & Raimondo: Cytogeographical investigalion of Scilla (111/tmma/is ...

1993, Battaglia 1957, 1964, Corsi & al. 1996). In these fast two countrie diploids h ave no t
been recordcd.
In ltaly S. autunmalis is more frcquent in the Mediterrancan zones. and becomes rare
northwards. Diploid populations wcrc rccorded in Sicily (Battaglia 1957), Sardinia and
Pantelleria (Battaglia 1964) and in Campania (Southem ltaly) (Ebcrt & al. 1996).
Tetraploids occur in severa! ltalian localities (Battaglia 1957. Illuminati et al. 1995) and in
Sardinia (Battaglia 1964 ). Exaploid populations ha ve finally bee n found in the karstic area
near Trieste (Battaglia 1957). In Sicily previous reports conccm diploids only. from Scicli
(South Easl of Sicily}. locality Croce near Catania. S. Caterina Villcrmosa (in Centrai
Sicily} and Floridia near Siracusa. In planLS collectcd in these last two populations. B-
chromosomes were found (Battaglia 1957 & 1963. Guillen & Rejon 1984).
In this work a cytogeographic investigation has been carried out analysing fifleen pop-
ulutions of S. autumnulis in ordcr lo evaluate the levels of ploidy in Sicily. This in com-
parison with the generai ploiùy leve l variation within the whole distribution of thc species.

Materia! and methods

The plants were collectcd from 15 sites whose location comprchensively represent thc
S. autlmmalis distribution in Sicily. Thcse are reported in Tab.l.

T ab le l. Locauons. altitude. date of collection of thc plant materia l studicd.
Locality Altitude Date of collcction Id.
(m.s.Lm.J
Fontanarossa (Erice) (Trapani) 500 Octobcr 1999
Limestonc cliffs. road Valderice Erice (Trapani) 450 October 1999 2
Monte Cofano (Trapani) 400 October 1998 3
San Vito Lo Capo (Trapani) 70 October 1999 4
Road ncar Scopello S.S.I87 (Trapani) 100 September 1999 5
Monte Gallo (Palenno) 250-300 October 1999 6
Cono di S.Pietro (M. Cntallìano) (Palcm1o) 300 Oetobcr 1996 7
Rocca di Caltavuturo (Palermo) 700 Scptembcr IIJ99 R
Silvn Rifonnati (Pel:nllia Sottanu Madonic) (Palcnno) 1100 October 1996 9
Portclla Bifolchi (Geraci Siculo- Mudonic) (Palenno) 1050 Octobcr 1996 IO
Favignana (Egadi lslands) (Trapam) 5(}.100 Octobcr 1997 Il
Portella Scalaua (Marianopoli) (Caltanissena) 700 Scptcmbcr 1996; 1999 12
R1serva aturalc dello Zmgaro ( Tropam) 100-150 Scptcmbcr 1997: 1999 13
Road Siracusa nord-Belvedere (Siracusa) 200 Octobcr 1999 14
Road Siracusa-Floridia (Siracusa) 250 October 1999 15