First report of Buddleja madagascariensis in Italy
Buddleja madagascariensis (Scrophulariaceae) (Nicodemia madagascariensis) has been recorded for the first time in Sicily (Italy). Native to Madagascar, B. madagascariensis has been introduced as an ornamental plant throughout the world but it is recorded in some areas (western coast of the US, China, Australia and South Africa) as an invasive. Despite being cultivated for over 200 years, B. madagascariensis has rarely escaped cultivation in Europe – the species is only found as a casual in southern Europe. In Sicily, B. madagascariensis was first found at the beginning of 2014, growing wild throughout a hedgerow at an abandoned citrus orchard. The population consisted of three groups of plants about 15 m from each other where each population contains 10-15 individuals reaching a maximum height of 6.5 m. Plants were observed to produce seed but the authors suggest that the majority of seeds are not viable based on the lack of seedlings at the site. This corresponds with observations from other regions where the plant is invasive and in which seed germination is not observed. The authors applied the EPPO prioritization process to B. madagascariensis and suggest the species should be included in the Observation List of Invasive Alien Plants.
Sources
Pasta S, Badalamenti E, Sala G, La Mantia T (2016) Nicodemia madagascariensis (Lam.) R. Parker (Family Scrophulariaceae), a causal alien plant new to Italy. Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography 1, 155-162.