The alien and invasive flora of Greece
The alien flora of Greece includes 343 taxa of which 294 are neophytes (86%). The total number of the alien taxa reported for Greece is relatively low compared to those of other Mediterranean and Southern European countries, namely Italy, Spain and Portugal. The American continent is the origin of the majority of the neophytes (133 taxa representing 46%). The next most frequent areas of origin of neophytes are Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean basin. Most neophytes (75%) have been introduced intentionally for agricultural or ornamental purposes. Artificial habitats, especially cultivations and road networks host the highest numbers of neophytes. The natural habitats that host the highest numbers of neophytes are the coastal zones and inland surface waters.
50 of these naturalized neophytes were considered by the authors to fulfill the criteria to be characterized as invasive. These are listed in the table below with their family, origin and occurrence in the EPPO region:
|
Species and family
|
Origin
|
Occurrence in the EPPO region
|
|
Acer negundo (Sapindaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Aeonium arboreum (Crassulaceae)
|
Macaronesian
|
CY, ES (Incl. Baleares), MT, PT (Madeira where it is indigenous)
|
|
Agave americana (Asparagaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae, EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants)
|
E Asia
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus albus (Amaranthaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus blitoides (Amaranthaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus deflexus (Amaranthaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus hybridus (Amaranthaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus quitensis (Amaranthaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
PT (Azores), Spain (Baleares)
|
|
Amaranthus retroflexus (Amaranthaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Amaranthus viridis (Amaranthaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Aptenia cordifolia (Aizoaceae)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Arundo donax (Poaceae)
|
C Asia
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Aster squamatus (Asteraceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread
|
|
Azolla filiculoides (Azollaceae, EPPO Observation List)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread
|
|
Gomphocarpus fruticosus (Apocynaceae)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Carpobrotus edulis (Aizoaceae, EPPO List of IAP)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread
|
|
Cenchrus incertus (Poaceae, EPPO List of IAP)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread
|
|
Chenopodium ambrosioides (Amaranthaceae)
|
Pantrop.
|
Widespread
|
|
Chenopodium multifidum (Amaranthaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Conyza bonariensis (Asteraceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread
|
|
Conyza canadensis (Asteraceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Conyza sumatrensis (Asteraceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
|
|
Coronopus didymus (Brassicaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Cotula coronopifolia (Asteraceae)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread
|
|
Cuscuta campestris (Convolvulaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Cymbalaria muralis (Plantaginaceae)
|
S-Eur.
|
Widespread
|
|
Datura stramonium (Solanaceae)
|
Cosmopolitan
|
Widespread
|
|
Elaeagnus angustifolia (Elaeagnaceae)
|
Temp Asia
|
Widespread
|
|
Eleusine indica (Poaceae)
|
Cosmopolitan
|
Widespread
|
|
Chamaesyce maculata (Euphorbiaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Chamaesyce prostrata (Euphorbiaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Halophila stipulacea (Hydrocharitaceae)
|
W Indian Ocean, Red Sea
|
CY, IT (Sicilia), MT, TN, TR and AL, EG, LB
|
|
Heliotropium curassavicum (Boraginaceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
ES (incl. Baleares, Canarias), FR, IT (incl. Sardinia), PT (incl. Azores), TR
|
|
Malephora purpurocrocea (Aizoaceae)
|
S-Af.
|
ES (Baleares)
|
|
Medicago sativa subsp. sativa (Fabaceae)
|
Paleotemp.
|
Widespread
|
|
Nicotiana glauca (Solanaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread in the Meditarranean
|
|
Opuntia vulgaris (Cactaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread in the Meditarranean
|
|
Oxalis debilis var. corymbosa (Oxalidaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread in the Meditarranean
|
|
Paspalum dilatatum (Poaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Paspalum distichum (Poaceae, EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants)
|
Neotrop
|
Widespread in the Mediterranean
|
|
Phytolacca americana (Phytolaccaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae)
|
Paleotrop
|
Widespread
|
|
Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae)
|
N-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Salix fragilis (Salicaceae)
|
Eurosiberian
|
Native in a large part of the EPPO region
|
|
Setaria adhaerens (Poaceae)
|
Sub-cosmop.
|
CY?
|
|
Solanum elaeagnifolium (Solanaceae, EPPO A2 List)
|
S-Am.
|
CS, CY, DZ, ES, FR, HR, IT (incl. Sardinia, Sicilia), IL, MA, MK, TN,TR,
|
|
Solanum physalifolium (Solanaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
BE
|
|
Veronica persica (Plantaginaceae)
|
W Asia
|
Widespread
|
|
Xanthium orientale (Asteraceae)
|
S Eur.
|
Widespread
|
|
Xanthium spinosum (Asteraceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
Zantedeschia aethiopica (Araceae)
|
S-Af.
|
ES (Baleares), FR (incl. Corse), GB, IE, IT (incl. Sicilia), PT (Azores, Madeira)
|
Other alien plants occurring in Greece, although not having been identified in this publication as invasive, are considered invasive by EPPO and could usefully be followed: Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAP), Amorpha fruticosa (Fabaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Araujia sericifera (Apocynaceae, EPPO Observation List), Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Fallopia sachalinensis (Polygonaceae, EPPO List of IAP) and Helianthus tuberosus (Asteraceae).
Sources
Arianoutsou M, Bazos I, Delipetrou P, Kokkoris Y (2010) The alien flora of Greece: taxonomy, life traits and habitat preferences. Biological Invasions DOI 10.1007/s10530-010-9749-0.