The number of introduced, and possible introduced, taxa in the Madeira and Selvagens islands currently accounts for nearly 36% of the total flora of these archipelagos, including 53 Poaceae taxa (out of 141 Poaceae taxa), therefore constituting the family with the higher proportion of introduced taxa (38.4%). The genus Ehrharta Thunb. comprises about 35 species, with one species, E. longiflora Sm., recorded as introduced in Gran Canaria. The genus Pennisetum Rich. includes ca. 80 species of which a total of nine species are present in Macaronesia, with three: P. clandestinum Hochst. & Chiov., P. purpureum Schum. and P. villosum R. Br. ex Fresen, occurring in the Madeira archipelago. Ehrharta longiflora Sm. and Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov., are here recorded for the first time for the Madeira island, found in disturbed areas at low and medium altitudes. The finding of several mature and flowering/fructifying individuals of both species suggests a fully naturalized status. Naturalization, invasiveness and ecological impacts are discussed.
The Madeira archipelago vascular flora includes 74 pteridophyte taxa. Of these, eight are exclusive endemics, eight are Macaronesian endemics, being the vast majority, 44, native and 14 referred as introduced taxa. The total number of alien vascular plant taxa is 401 (i.e. 33% of the total flora). The recent detection of several fully naturalized alien fern taxa is a process parallel to that observed in other groups of vascular plants. The occurrence of Pteris nipponica W.C. Shieh (syn. Pteris cretica L. var. albolineata Hooker) and Goniophlebium subauriculatum (Blume) C. Presl as new naturalized plants is recorded for the first time for the island of Madeira.
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