La flora delle acque interne dell’Agro Pontino (Lazio meridionale): indagini preliminari.

The vascular flora of the inland waters of Agro Pontino (southern Lazio, central Italy): preliminary surveys. The area of Agro Pontino underwent a progressive environmental impoverishment during the last century. In particular, the wetland flora, which is the subject of this research, profoundly changed in consequence of the integral drainage and of impacts of different origins. Within the recorded flora (167 units), although it is impoverished and banalized, we still find species with high natural and conservational value, such as: Potamogeton berchtoldii, Butomus umbellatus, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Callitriche sp.pl., Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, Nymphaea alba, Bidens cernua. This work stands for a starting point for future programmes of requalification and monitoring of the Pontine watercourses, which are important biotopes in conservating nature and are today partly protected as Sites of Community Interest (SCIs).