Between Castiglione and Francavilla di Sicilia, the Alcantara river’s erosive action on the lava flows over millennia has created a series of round small lakes named Gurne.
These lakes are the ideal habitat for the life of water plants such as the Stream Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus penicillatus) and the Duckweed (Lemma minor gibba), typical of the continental climates.
The Stream Water-crowfoot in Sicily is found only along the Alcantara river and Fiumefreddo. It is a perennial water plant which usually lives in cold waters. Flowering takes place between April and July, announcing the coming of summer.