Reproductive biology of Saxifraga florulenta Moretti, a semelparous paleo-endemic of the Alps

The Maritime Alps are one of the ten biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean and a relevant biogeographical areas in Europe because of the concentration of endemism and their possible role as long-persistence area of species. One of the most famous species of the Maritime Alps is Saxifraga florulenta Moretti, a monocarpic paleoendemic species. According to the IUCN categories, S. florulenta is Vulnerable in Italy, though of Least Concern at global scale. Information about its reproductive biology is still lacking and understanding it may supply useful information on how the species may face the global warming. In this study we investigated the plant-pollinator interactions and the reproduction mode