Censimento e caratterizzazione delle palme storiche in Liguria

In the Mediterranean area palms are a very interesting subject, because of the abundance of their products and their particular beauty. These exotic species were introduced to our country since ancient times. Historic documents, in fact, reveal their presence in Italy since the XVI th Century; but most information comes to us from the travellers of the XVIII th Century. Recently a general increase of interest towards this family of plants is taking place, especially in those regions where they have grown for many years and they characterize the landscape: as in Liguria. Identification of old specimens, using morpho-botanical and molecular markers, is therefore very important for evaluating the actual botanic heritage. The aim of this study is to create a data-base useful for their management and safeguarding. Furthermore, their correct identification will allow us to complete the studies about their introduction and acclimatization on the Riviera Ligure. For this purpose a morpho-botanical card, with the most important describers, has been prepared. The project concerns the census and the identification of specimens located in some historic gardens in Sanremo (IM) and the transferability of microsatellites isolated in Phoenix dactylifera on other species of ornamental palms.