Twentytwo taxa have been recorded in the south of Istrian peninsula (north Adriatic coast, Croatia). The research was performed in the period [2003][2004]. A great majority of taxa belong to Euri-Mediterranean (seven taxa, 41.18%) and Steno-Mediterranean (six taxa, 35.29%) floral elements. Eurasiatic (two taxa, 11.76%), Atlantic (one taxa, 5.88%) and endemic (one taxon, 5.88%) plants were also present. Almost a half of recorded orchids are abundant or frequent. The most of taxa are endangered s.l.; nine vulnerable (VU) plants (52.94%), and one species endangered s.s. (EN) (5.88%). There are also near threatened (NT) (two taxa, 11.76%), and data deficient (DD) (one taxon, 5.88%) plants, while others have no category assigned (four taxa, 23.53%).

Abstract:The morphometric analyses and genetic variability assessed by RAPD markers have been used to analyse relations among six Serapias taxa from Croatia (S. istriaca, S. pulae originally described as hybrid, S. ionica, S. vomeracea, S. lingua and S. cordigera). S. istriaca distributed in southern Istria and the island of Lošinj and S. pulae stenoendemic taxon distributed only in southern Istria S. ionica is endemic to the Ionian and Dalmatian islands, while the remaining taxa are more widely distributed. The obtained results shows that the endemic S. istriaca is a well characterised taxon, that S. pulae is a hybrid between S. istriaca and S. lingua and that the hybrid is morphologically and genetically more similar to S. lingua than the second parental species S. istriaca. The division into the subsections Steno-, Medio-and Platypetalae is founded based on the floral morphology while the division into the sections Serapias and Bilamellaria is not evident in the quantitative morphological and genetic analyses. Furthermore, considerable genetic resemblance between S. vomeracea and S. ionica was established.

-The presence of the least adder's tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum) in Croatia is sparsely documented in scientifi c literature, with only a few records to date. After fi ndings from the 19 th century, the species was not confi rmed in the fi eld for a whole century, and was consequently considered extinct in the Croatian fl ora. It has been recently confi rmed in southern Istria (Croatia), in habitats with moderate anthropogenic impacts.

Some wild, morphologically diverse taxa of the genus Iris in the broad Alpine-Dinaric area have never been explored molecularly, and/or have ambiguous systematic status. The main aims of our research were to perform a molecular study of critical Iris taxa from that area (especially a narrow endemic accepted species I. adriatica, for which we also analysed genome size) and to explore the contribution of eight microsatellites and highly variable chloroplast DNA (ndhJ, rpoC1) markers to the understanding of the Iris taxa taxonomy and phylogeny. Both the microsatellite-based UPGMA and plastid markers-based maximum likelihood analysis discriminated three main clusters in the set of 32 analysed samples, which correspond well to the lower taxonomic categories of the genus, and support separate status of ambiguous regional taxa (e.g., I. sibirica subsp. erirrhiza, I. x croatica and I. x rotschildii). The first molecular data on I. adriatica revealed its genome size (2C = 12.639 ± 0.202 pg) and indicated the existence of ecotypes. For future molecular characterisation of the genus we recommend the utilisation of microsatellite markers supplemented with a combination of plastid markers.

Sternbergia colchiciflora is a rare species in Croatia, estimated as data deficient (DD), and therefore every new finding represents a valuable contribution to the knowledge of its distribution, with implications for its conservation status in the future. In this paper we describe newly found localities, and provide observations on its current distribution and IUCN status, based on all known sites and population trends. So far, this taxon has been recorded only at a few localities along the Eastern Adriatic coast. Here, we report Mt Velebit and Krka National Park as new localities for S. colchiciflora, and confirm its occurrence on Mt Biokovo and on the island of Brač. The species typically occupies dry calcareous grasslands within eu-and sub-Mediterranean vegetation in different stages of vegetation succession. Sternbergia colchiciflora je u Hrvatskoj rijetka vrsta, procijenjena kao nedovoljno poznata (DD), stoga svaki novi nalaz predstavlja značajan doprinos poznavanju njezine rasprostranjenosti te može imati implikacije na očuvanje ove vrste u budućnosti. U ovom radu opisujemo nove lokalitete, te prilažemo opažanja o trenutnoj rasprostranjenosti i IUCN statusu, temeljem svih dosadašnjih poznatih nalaza i opaženog populacijskog trenda. Ova svojta je do sada bila zabilježena na svega nekoliko lokaliteta duž istočno jadranske obale. U ovom radu prilažemo dva nova lokaliteta (Velebit i NP "Krka"), te potvrđujemo njezino pojavljivanje na Biokovu i Braču. Ova vrsta tipično nastanjuje suhe, vapnenačke kamenjarske travnjake eu-i submediteranske vegetacije, u različitim stadijima vegetacijske sukcesije.

Croatian records of the critically endangered Anthemis tomentosa are very scarce. One population was known, from southernmost Istria, within the Significant Landscape Lower Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago. First records from the 19th century were regarded as dubious, but the species was finally confirmed on Rt Franina (surroundings of Premantura) in the end of 90’ties. During our visits to southern Istria, we found four new localities of this species. The largest population was found in the area of Marlera (surroundings of Ližnjan), where A. tomentosa occurs along a four km long coastline. The species commonly occurs at the fringe between the coastal rock vegetation and calcareous grasslands, where the influence of salt spray is high. Observations have shown that A. tomentosa is threatened by anthropogenic influences and the population is spreading on Rt Franina since these influences have been reduced.