Fitosociologia 40 (1) 2003

S. Brullo¹ & G. Spampinato²

¹Dipartimento di Botanica, via A. Longo 19, I-95125, Catania; e-mail: brullo@mbox.dipbot.unict.it
²Dipartimento S.T.A.F.A., p.zza San Francesco 4, I 89061, Gallina, Reggio Calabria; e-mail: gspampinato@unirc.it

The class Asplenietea trichomanis in Calabria (S Italy). On the basis of literature and unpublished data, a syntaxonomical revision of the class Asplenietea trichomanis in Calabria is given. The examined syntaxa are treated from the floristic, structural, ecological and chorological point of view, and in the critical case from the nomenclatural one too.

V. Rousakova¹ & R. Tzonev²

¹Institute of botany, Akad. Georgi Bontchev str., 23, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria

²University of Sofia “Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Biology, Bulgaria

In the papers are analyzed the releves of phytocoenoses of Quercus robur and Quercus cerris from the Middle Danubian plane. Two new associations are differentiated: mesophitic, Scutellario altissimae-Quercetum roboris, on lowland platforms with aluvial soils and xerotermic, Cotyno coggygriae-Quercetum cerris, on dry hills over chernozem soils. Hereby are considered their relationships with high syntaxa and their analogy with similar associations described in Serbia and in Romania.

S. Rivas-Martínez

Phytosociological Research Center (CIF), J.M. Usandizaga 46, E-28409 Los Negrales, Madrid; e-mail: rivasmartinez.cif@tsai.es

Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid

It is here documented the validity of the name of the Parietarietea Rivas-Martinze ex Rivas Goday 1964 class.

S. Rivas-Martínez¹, E. Biondi², M. Costa³ & L. Mossa⁴

¹Phytosociological Research Center (CIF), J.M. Usandizaga 46, E-28409 Los Negrales, Madrid; e-mail: rivasmartinez.cif@tsai.es

¹Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid

²Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona; e-mail: biondi@univpm.it

³Jardí Botanic de Valencia, Universitat de Valencia, beat Gaspar de Bono 6, E-46008 Valencia; email: manuel.costa@uv.es

⁴Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Fra Ignazio da Laconi 13, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: mossa@unica.it

On the vegetation of the Quercetea ilicis class in Sardinia. The most important plant associations of the Quercetea ilicis class in Sardinian are here presented. Among them, the new Clematido cirrhosae-Quercetum ilicis and Galio scabri-Qauercetum suberis associations, respectively describe the climatophilous mesomediterranean sumhumid holm oak woods and the natural climatophilous mesomediterranean subhumid cork oak woods of Sardinia. For both the associations are also described some subassociations with which the associations are present in different bioclimatic belts.

A. Catorci, M. Raponi & E. Orsomando

Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia, Università di Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, I- 62032 Camerino

The Carpinus orientalis distribution in Umbria is showen, pointing out about 80 new stations placed in the South and South-West Region’s sectors. The phytosociological analysis have allowed to frame the umbrian woods with Carpinus orientalis in the 7 sintaxa: Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis, Cephalanthero-Quercetum ilicis, Roso sempervirentis-Quercetum pubescentis cotinetosum coggygriae, Asparago acutifolii-Ostryetum carpinifoliae, Daphno laureolae-Quercetum cerridis and Lonicero etruscae-Carpinetum orientalis. Moreover the new agroupament Carpinus orientalis e Buxus sempervirens, is delineated.

G. Bacchetta¹, S. Bagella², E. Biondi³, E. Farris², R. Filigheddu² & L. Mossa¹

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Fra Ignazio da Laconi n.13, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: bacchet@unica.it; mossa@unica.it

²Istituto di Botanica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Muroni n.25, I-07100 Sassari; e-mail: sbagella@uniss.it; emfa@uniss.it; filighed@uniss.it

³Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona; e-mail: biondi@univpm.it

On the Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris Brot. woodlands in Sardinia.The phytosociological analysis of Olea europaea. var. sylvestris woodlands occurring in Sardinia are here presented. The following sintaxa are described for the first time: Cyclamino repandi-Oleetum sylvestris and Myrto communis-Oleetum sylvestris are referred to the Quercion ilicis alliance while Asparago acutifolii-Oleetum sylvestris and Asparago albi-Oleetum sylvestris are referred to the Oleo-Ceratonion alliance.

F. Attorre & F. Bruno

Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, P.le A. Moro 5, I-00185 Roma; e-mail: franco.bruno@uniroma1.it

During the last decades the reduction of traditional agricultural and breeding activities has caused a noticeable expansion of forest vegetation in the Apennines coherent to the climatic conditions. The study of the dynamics of forest vegetation expansion is therefore fundamental for adopting suitable conservation strategies of those landscapes that undergo deep changes which menace the conservation of semi-natural habitats, as, for example, the secondary grasslands that lie on calcareous substrata. These grasslands are important sites for orchids and other geophytes of great interest. For this reason the plant communities located in the lower range of the Simbruini Mountains have been studied through phytosociological and pedological analysis. In particular this work has focused on the shrubs mainly composed by Rosa sp. pl. which are dynamically linked to the beech woods. The plant communities were analysed through 48 phytosociological relevés using multi-variate techniques (classification and ordination). The pedological analysis has shown the dynamic relationship between the identified communities: in this dynamic model we propose a new association, Ribeso uvae-crispae-Rosetum dumalis, belonging to Berberidion vulgaris alliance. This association, that is ecologically analogous to Corylo avellanae-Rosetum vosagiacae and Berberido-Rosetum associations, represents the transitional shrub stadium between the grasslands of Anthoxantho odorati-Brachypodietum genuensis and the Fagus sylvatica woods belonging to Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae. This vegetation series occurs in the mountainside ditches whose soils are rich in allophones deriving from alteration of volcanic material. The Ribeso uvae-crispae-Rosetum dumalis contributes to the expansion of the woody vegetation by acting as germination nucleus for the beechwood seedlings that are therefore able to expand. Instead, the communities of Koelerio splendentis-Brometum erecti that occupy the micro-reliefs, which are situated between one ditch and the other and that lie on calcareous rendzina soils, because of adverse soil conditions, are excluded from the natural reforestation process.

S. Ceschin, M. Cutini & G. Caneva

Dipartimento di Biologia, Università Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, I-00146 Roma; e-mail: ceschin@uniroma3.it

Ruderal vegetation of Palatine’s archaeological area (Rome, Italy). The most significant types of the ruderal vegetation of Palatine’s archaeological site are described. The investigations have concerned the meadow communities, varying in relation to micro-environmental and anthropic factors as stamping, mechanical and chemical weed killing and irrigation. Different communities, either with therophytic character, ascribed to the Helianthemetea guttati, Thero-Brachypodietea, Stellarietea mediae and Polygono-Poetea annuae classes, or with hemicriptophytic character, belonging to the Artemisietea vulgaris and Parietarietea judaicae classes, are described through the phytosociological analysis. Some associations, such as Trifolio scabri-Hypochoeridetum achryrophori, Valerianello eriocarpae-Cerastietum glomeratiDauco-Picridetum hieracioidis, were not indicated for the urban area. The considerable floristic and coenological richness of site is emphasized, revaluing the important role of archaeological areas as a reserve of biodiversity.

G. Abbate¹, G. Pirone², G. Ciaschetti², S. Bonacquisti¹, E. Giovi¹, D. Luzzi³ & E. Scassellati¹

¹Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I – 00185 Roma; e-mail: giovanna.abbate@uniroma1.it

²Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Università degli Studi di L’Aquila. Via Vetoio, Loc. Coppito, 1– 67100 L’Aquila

³Via della Farnesina 117, I– 00194 Roma

Preliminary remarks on the Fagus sylvatica L. and Taxus baccata L. forests in peninsular Italy and Sicily. A phytosociological study of the Fagus sylvatica and Taxus baccata forests in peninsular Italy and Sicily is presented. 104 phytosociological relevés were analysed, 40 of which unpublished and 64 derived from published tables; a matrix was produced and processed by cluster analysis. The investigated woods show high floristic homogeneity and naturality. The recognised mountain zonal types are assigned to Aremonio-Fagion sylvaticae (suball. Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagenion sylvaticae) and Doronico-Fagion; submountain Adriatic mixed forests to Laburno anagyroidis-Ostryenion carpinifoliae in the order Quercetalia pubescentis; azonal communities are ascribed to Tilio platyphylli-Acerion pseudoplatani.
Taxus baccata doesn’t differentiate any association, but it may be considered as a good indicator of humid and eutrophic soils, in different mature forest types with large distribution area. Some associations and subassociations are therefore criticised.

C. Angiolini¹ & G. Bacchetta²

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali “G. Sarfatti”, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via P. A. Mattioli 4, I-53100 Siena; e-mail: angiolini@unisi.it

²Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio 13, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: bacchet@unica.it

Information on the distribution and phytosociological study of communities with Santolina insularis (Gennari ex Fiori) Arrigoni in southern Sardinia (Italy). Santolina insularis is a polyploid endemic distributed mainly in the south and central-eastern parts of Sardinia (Italy). It is found from sea level to the summit of Mt. Gennargentu (1834 m a.s.l.). This paper provides up-to-date information on the distribution of the species and the results of phytosociological study of the communities found in southern Sardinia. Two new associations called Euphorbio cupanii-Santolinetum insularis and Thymelaeo hirsutae-Santolinetum insularis are proposed on the basis of 37 original relevés and two from the literature. The former is linked to glareicolous environments of the Iglesias area and has two subassociations which vicariate in relation to substrate rocks and their physicochemistry, as well as bioclimatic and syndynamic conditions. The second is characteristic of non-stabilised alluvial beds of the Sarrabus-Gerrei and was hitherto regarded as a variant of the association Polygono scoparii-Helichrysetum microphylli. The two associations are related syntaxonomically through the alliance Teucrion mari, which includes chamaephytic vegetation with distribution in Sardinia and Corsica, indifferent to substrate chemistry and capable of establishing on degraded soils in the initial stages of pedogenesis.

E. Biondi¹, S. Casavecchia¹ & D. Gigante²

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali e delle Produzioni Vegetali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, I – 60131 Ancona; e-mail: biondi@univpm.it

²Dipartimento di Biologia vegetale e Biotecnologie agroambientali, Università degli Studi, Borgo XX giugno, 74, I-06121 Perugia; e-mail: rvenanzo@unipg.it

We present here a contribution towards a new syntaxonomic definition of the holm oak woods present in the Central European Mediterranean Basin, within which the territories of the Italian peninsula play a connecting role between the Tyrrhenian area to the west and the Adriatic to the east, including the biogeographic territories of the Italian-Tyrrhenian, the Apennino-Balkan and the Adriatic Provinces.
This analysis was conducted starting from a phytosociological table comprising 151 surveys, some of which are unpublished, of the holm oak woods present in Italian (excluding Sardinia) and Croatian territories. Consideration of these surveys has allowed the definition of two main ecological groups of holm oak woods, of which one is thermophilous and the other mesophilous. Thirteen associations have been defined, of which three are newly described. These associations are attributed to the new alliance Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis, here proposed.
The syntaxonomic scheme of the communities under study is presented at the end of this report.