{"id":8009,"date":"2026-04-13T09:56:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T20:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/?page_id=8009"},"modified":"2026-04-13T09:56:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T20:56:57","slug":"flora-portugal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/volumes\/perspectives-in-biosecurity-2026-volume-11\/flora-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Perspectives in Biosecurity | 2026 | Volume 11 | pp xx\u2013xx"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"is-responsive wp-block-navigation is-layout-flex wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Perspectives in Biosecurity\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-1\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-1-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container is-responsive wp-block-navigation\"><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Home PBS |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/editorial-board\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Editorial Board |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/author-guidelines\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Author Guidelines |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/volumes\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Articles |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/editorial-board\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Contact Us<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Research Paper<strong> &#8211; ACCEPTED<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/volumes\/perspectives-in-biosecurity-2026-volume-11\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"8002\">Volume 11<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cataloging the alien flora of Portugal: New findings and updates<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>Filip Verloove<sup>1<\/sup>, Paulo Alves<sup>2<\/sup><br><br>Affiliations:<br><sup>1<\/sup> Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, B-1860 Meise, Belgium.<br><sup>2<\/sup> Floradata, Campo 24 de Agosto, 129\u2014Escrit\u00f3rio 704, 4300-504 Bonfim, Porto, Portugal.<br>Corresponding author: <a href=\"mailto:filip.verloove@botanicgardenmeise.be\">filip.verloove@botanicgardenmeise.be<\/a><br><br>Received: 15 January 2026 | Accepted: 8 March 2026 | Published: xx<br>Senior Editor: Peter de Lange<br>doi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">download PDF<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong><br>During recent fieldwork in Portugal\u2014mainly in the regions of Estremadura and Ribatejo in the autumn of 2024, but also earlier and elsewhere in the country\u2014many interesting non-indigenous taxa were recorded. The following 25 taxa were not yet known from Portugal: <em>Amaranthus blitum<\/em> subsp. <em>pseudogracilis<\/em>, <em>Amaranthus palmeri<\/em>, <em>Bassia indica<\/em>, <em>Cardiospermum grandiflorum<\/em>, <em>Casuarina cunninghamiana<\/em>, <em>Chloris gayana<\/em>, <em>Crepis bursifolia<\/em>, <em>Cyperus papyrus<\/em>, <em>Elatine ambigua<\/em>, <em>Eleocharis obtusa<\/em>, <em>Eragrostis mexicana<\/em>, <em>E. pectinacea<\/em>, <em>Guizotia abyssinica<\/em>, <em>G. schimperi<\/em>, <em>Hedera algeriensis<\/em>, <em>Hydrocotyle bowlesioides<\/em>, <em>H. sibthorpioides,<\/em> <em>Ipomoea hederacea<\/em>, <em>Megathyrsus maximus<\/em>, <em>Nassella tenuissima<\/em>, <em>Physalis angulata<\/em>, <em>Sida spinosa<\/em>, <em>Solanum bonariense<\/em>, <em>Vitis riparia<\/em> and <em>V. \u00d7ruggerii<\/em>. Among these, <em>Hydrocotyle bowlesioides<\/em> is particularly noteworthy as this record represents the first confirmed occurrence on the European mainland, extending the known non-native range of the species. In addition, several other taxa were recorded for the first time in particular regions, especially Estremadura and Ribatejo.<br>Most newly recorded species belong to Poaceae and Asteraceae, families that dominate alien floras in Mediterranean regions. Biogeographically, they originate mainly from tropical and subtropical America and Africa, reflecting both climatic affinity and strong anthropogenic dispersal. Regional analyses highlight contrasting patterns: Estremadura, with its urban and coastal environments, acts as a primary entry zone linked to horticultural and transport activities, whereas Ribatejo\u2014especially along the Tagus valley\u2014functions as a linear dispersal corridor for riparian and agricultural invaders. Several taxa are clearly naturalized, and some show local dominance, underlining an accelerating transition from casual to established status. These findings illustrate the ongoing dynamism of Portugal\u2019s alien vascular flora under the combined influence of globalization, urbanization, and climate change, and emphasize the need for continued monitoring and documentation through coordinated fieldwork and digital biodiversity platforms, particularly in light of the high invasive potential demonstrated by many of the species involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cite as<\/strong><br>Verloove, F. &amp; Alves, P (in press). Cataloging the alien flora of Portugal: New findings and updates. <em>Perspectives in Biosecurity<\/em>, 11(1).<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research Paper &#8211; ACCEPTED Volume 11 Cataloging the alien flora of Portugal: New findings and updates Filip Verloove1, Paulo Alves2 Affiliations:1 Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, B-1860 Meise, Belgium.2 Floradata, Campo 24 de Agosto, 129\u2014Escrit\u00f3rio 704, 4300-504 Bonfim, Porto, Portugal.Corresponding&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-biosecurity\/volumes\/perspectives-in-biosecurity-2026-volume-11\/flora-portugal\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":8002,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8009","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8009"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8041,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8009\/revisions\/8041"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}