17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 cm KEY TO PLANT GROUPS PLANT TO KEY IDENTIFYING PLANTS IN THE FIELD LIFE 4 POLLINATORS For wild flower identification in general it is necessary The aim of the project is to improve pollinator to have a plant in good condition, complete with conservation by creating a virtuous circle leading stem, leaves and flowers, and a hand lens to observe to a progressive change in practices across the the tiny floral elements. Mediterranean region. By analysing simple characters of flowers and leaves, and choosing the correct description in the illustrated key-diagram, you will be able to follow LIFE 4 POLLINATORS the right path leading to the morphological group to which the plant that you are observing belongs to. These “morpho-groups” are not generally ENTOMOPHILOUS PLANTS OF THE correspondent to plant taxonomic categories, they MEDITERRANEAN insetad may include plants that share similar traits. The project wil contribute to a range of EU policy This key is aimed to help everyone to start an easy and legislation, including amongst others the exploration of the great diversity of Mediterranean biodiversity strategy, the pollinators initiative flowers! and biodiversity protection under the common agricultural policy. Be careful not to touch thorns or plant latex, which may cause itchy skin! MEDITERRANEAN ENTOMOPHILOUS PLANTS Mediterranean flora comprises around 25000 species of plants, among which a great majority is FLOWER ANATOMY SIMPLIFIED pollinated by insects and about half are endemics Image of a complete flower in which the 4 verticils are (i.e. exclusively present in this area). Many species distinguished from the outside to the inside: sepals are rare and threatened by habitat transformation. (calyx), petals (corolla), stamens (androecium, the Typically mediterranean are the evergreen shrubs male part) and pistil (gynoecium, the female part), and sclerophyllous trees such as Holm’s oak, olive, inserted on the receptacle of the floral peduncle. laurel, mastic tree, carob, rock roses, myrtle, as The drawing shows well as the aromatic plants like rosemary, thyme, the stamens, each Petals Stigma lavender, fennel and many others. But remember formed by filament that Mediterranean does not only mean sea coasts! Pistil and anther, and the There are also mountains, hillsides, dry grasslands, FIELD GUIDE pistil, which can be Anthers wetlands... different habitats characterised by made up of one or Filament specific vegetation. This amazing plant variety more carpels, and Sepals Stamen is essential for- and at the same time is strictly is composed of Stem dependent from- the diversity of pollinators! The LIFE 4 POLLINATORS project (LIFE 18 GIE/IT/000755) ovary, stylus and has received funding from the LIFE Programme stigma. of the European Union DISCOVER THE L4P PLANT GROUPS The following groups are not always correspondent to plant taxonomic categories (eg families), so they include plants that share similar flower traits (and sometimes may look very similar to each other) even if they are not taxonomically or evolutionarily related. For this reason, a plant family can be “splitted” into different groups (eg Leguminosae). For each morpho-group are reported the most common genera (latin names) and the main pollinator(s) group(s), while invasive species commonly found in the Mediterranean are indicated in red. To find out more about the plant groups, please visit: www.life4pollinators.eu/plants SUBMIT YOUR IMAGES TO: mostly visited by pollnators groups: butterflies, bees, moths, wasps, beefles, hoverfles and/or beetles (naming the most likely) www.life4pollinators.eu/submission D highly diverse group DAFFODILS ORCHIDS IRIS ONION- AND LILY-LIKE D I Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: I invasive Narcissus Ophrys, Orchid, Dactylorhiza, Epipac- Iris pseudacorus,Iris graminea, Iris Allium, Amaryllis, Tulipa, Lilium, Asphodelus, tis, Serapias xiphium (RARE), Iris juncea (RARE), Colchicum, Crocus, Muscari Gladiolus To find out more about the plant groups, Narcissus poeticus please visit: Orchis sp. Iris sp. Allium ursinum Crocus www.life4pollinators.eu/plants INVASIVE: Eichhornia crassipes THISTLES AND CORNFLOWERS BUTTERCUP-LIKE CABBAGE-LIKE I TRAVELLER‘S JOY Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Carduus, Eryngium, Dipsacus Ranunculus, Hepatica, Anemone, Sinapis, Brassica, Lunaria, Cardamine Clematis flammula, C. viticella, Hypericum C. vitalba PRIMROSE-LIKE Most common genera: Primula, Vinca, Buglossoides, Myosotis, Nerium oleander, Ranunculus bulbosus Sinapis arvensis Clematis vitalba Pulmonaria, Ligustrum Carduus sp. INVASIVE: Erysimum cheiri MILKWORT-LIKE HELLEBORES DAISY-LIKE I BINDWEED-LIKE Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Primula vulgaris Polygala Helleborus Bellis, Achillea, Leucanthemum, Dittri- Convolvolus chia, Matricaria, Calendula, Knautia, Vinca major Scabiosa Polygala sp. Helleborus viridis Bellis perennis Convolvolus sp. STARFLOWER-LIKE D I INVASIVE: Helianthus annuus Most common genera: Solanum, Borago, Ciclamen, Rhamnus frangula, Ligustrum, Anagallis SPURGES MANY-PETALLED FLOWERS D CAPER-LIKE PINKS-LIKE Solanum lycopersicum Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Peonia, Citrus, Opuntia, Ninphaea, Car- Euphorbia Capparis, Epilobium Dianthus, Silene, Lychnis pobrotus, Punica INVASIVE: Oxalis pes-caprae Capparis spinosa Dianthus longicaulis Euphorbia sp. Peonia officinalis DANDELION-LIKE I SAGE-LIKE CARROT-LIKE I ROSES SPEEDWELLS & OTHERS I Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Taraxacum, Crepis, Sonchus, Hieracium Salvia, Mentha, Ocinum, Lamium, Ajuga Daucus, Foeniculum, Petroselinum, Rosa, Crataegus, Rubus, Prunus, Malus, Veronica, Verbascum, Viola, Dictamnus, Achillea Fragaria Echium Viola Taraxacum officinalis Salvia pratensis Daucus carota Rosa canina Verbascum INVASIVE: Baccharis halimifolia INVASIVE: Heracleum mantegazzianum Veronica sp. SILVER WATTLE ROCK-ROSES IVY-LIKE I POPPY-LIKE Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: INVASIVE: Cardiospermum (grandiflorium/ Acacia, Mimosa Helianthemum, Cistus, Fumana Hedera helix, Globularia, Armeria Papaver, Chelidonium halicacabum Helianthemum Hedera helix appeninum Papaver rhoeas Mimosa pudica LEGUME-FAMILY I INVASIVE: Althernanthera philoxeroides, Most common genera: Asclepias syriaca Robinia, Lotus, Trifolium, Vicia, Coronilla, Cercis, Pisum, Spatium, Genista FIGWORT-LIKE family I MALLOW-LIKE I ELDER-LIKE BELL FLOWERS-LIKE D Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Most common genera: Trifolium repens Linaria, Scrophularia, Antirrhinum Malva, Geranium, Erodium, Linum Sambucus, Viburnum Campanula, Gentiana, Symphytum, Atropa Lotus corniculatus Campanula sp. Linaria vulgaris INVASIVE: Robinia pseudoacacia Malva sylvestris Sambucus nigra INVASIVE: Impatiens glandulifera INVASIVE: Ludwigia grandiflora.