Fitosociologia 41 (1) 2004

E. Biondi¹, S. Casavecchia¹, V. Guerra¹, P. Medagli², L. Beccarisi² & V. Zuccarello²

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

²Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Lecce, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, I – 73100 Lecce; e-mail: zuc@unile.it

The subject of the present research is the phytosociological study of some typologies of semideciduous and evergreen wood vegetation of the Apulia region, in the south-east of peninsular Italy. The associations, which have been defined on the basis of 152 phytosociological relevées and elaborated by cluster analysis methods, are: the Aleppo pine woods (Thymo capitati-Pinetum halepensis and Cyclamino hederifolii-Pinetum halepensis ass. nova), the cork oak woods, which in Apulia find the eastern limits of their distribution (Carici halleranae-Quercetum suberis ass. nova), the kermes oak shrubbery (Arbuto unedi-Quercetum calliprini) and woods (Hedero helicis-Quercetum calliprini ass. nova), the holm oak woods, which represent the major vegetational potentiality of the region (Cyclamino hederifolii-Quercetum ilicis, Cephalanthero longifoliae-Quercetum ilicis and Festuco exaltatae-Quercetum ilicis), the Trojan oak woods, which find the western limits of their distribution in the area of Murge, between Apulia and Basilicata (Euphorbio apii-Quercetum trojanae and Teucrio siculi-Quercetum trojanae), and the woods of Quercus virgiliana (Irido collinae-Quercetum virgilianae ass. nova and Cyclamino hederifolii-Quercetum virgilianae ass. nova) and of Quercus dalechampii (Stipo bromoidis-Quercetum dalechampii ass. nova.). Finally, the complete syntaxonomic scheme of the forest vegetation of Apulia is presented.

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

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, viale S. Ignazio 13, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: bacchet@unica.it; mossa@unica.it

²Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia vegetale, Università degli Studi di Sassari, via Muroni 25, I-07100 Sassari; email: sbagella@uniss.it; emfa@uniss.it; filighed@uniss.it

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

A syntaxonomic revision of the holm-oak and cork-oak woods of Sardinia is here presented. The geological and phytoclimatic heterogeneity of the island and the wide ecological amplitude of the holm-oak, result in a large phytocoenotic diversity of the Sardinian holm-oak woods. These are referred to five associations: Pyro amygdaliformis-Quercetum ilicis, Prasio majoris-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova, Galio scabri-Quercetum ilicis, Saniculo europaeae-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova and Aceri monspessulani-Quercetum ilicis. From the phytogeographic point of view, in the subhumid-humid, meso-supramediterranean bioclimatic belts of Sardinia the presence of the association Galio scabri-Quercetum ilicis is found to be remarkable.
As far as the cork-oak woods are concerned, the associations Galio scabri-Quercetum suberis and Violo dehnhardtii-Quercetum suberis ass. nova are here reported.
The Sardinian-Corsican holm-oak and cork-oak woods define the western limit of the European central-Mediterranean alliance Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis of which in Sardinia there are many characteristic and differential entities. In the Sardinian-Corsican holm-oak woods, however, there are endemic entities (Arum pictum ssp. pictum, Helleborus lividus ssp. corsicus, Digitalis purpurea var. gyspergerae, Quercus ichnusaePaeonia morisii) and other western-centred entities with little or no spread on the Italian peninsula (Galium scabrum, Clematis cirrhosa and Teucrium scorodonia). These entities allow the proposal that within the alliance Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis can be recognised the new Sardinian-Corsican suballiance Clematido cirrhosae-Quercenion ilicisPrasio majoris-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova), which is endemic to the Sardinian and Corsican sectors of the Italo-Tyrrhenian Province. Consequently, the suballiance Fraxino orni-Quercenion ilicis, which is the typical of the alliance Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis, has also been proposed.

G. Bacchetta¹, E. Biondi², E. Farris³, R. Filigheddu³ & L. Mossa¹

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

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

³Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia vegetale, via Muroni 25, I-07100 Sassari; email: emfa@uniss.it; filighed@uniss.it

We present here the results from a phytosociological and synchorological study of the deciduous oak woods of Sardinia. This vegetation analysis has allowed the individuation of three new associations: Lonicero implexae-Quercetum virgilianae, Ornithogalo pyrenaici-Quercetum ichnusae and Glechomo sardoae-Quercetum congestae. The Lonicero implexae-Quercetum virgilianae association includes the woods on calcareous substrata spread throughout Northern Sardinia, which can occasionally be found in southern areas; the first of these are rich in mesophilous species and are attributed to the subassociation cyclaminetosum repandi, while the others are referred to quercetosum virgilianae. The Ornithogalo pyrenaici-Quercetum ichnusae association, more widely distributed in Central-Northern Sardinia, includes the climatophilous deciduous woods that are found on lithological substrata of a non-carbonatic nature, and in particular, on andesites, trachytes and metarenites. The typical aspect is referred to the subassociation cytisetosum villosi, while the subassociation ilicetosum aquifoliiGlechomo sardoae-Quercetum congestae association always includes the woods found on the non-carbonatic substrata in the higher altitude areas with an oceanic pluviseasonal temperate bioclimate. Of this, the subassociation quercetosum congestae, on the granite areas, and oenanthetosum pimpinelloidis, on those metamorphic and of basalt, are proposed. At the higher hierarchical levels, the association Lonicero implexae-Quercetum virgilianae is referred to the endemic Sardinian-Corsican suballiance Clematido cirrhosae-Quercenion ilicis, of the alliance Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis, while for the other associations the new suballiance Paeonio morisii-Quercenion ichnusae, (holotypus: Glechoma sardoae-Quercetum congestae ass. nova) particular to the Sardinian biogeographic subprovince, is proposed, of the alliance Pino calabricae-Quercion congestae, the order Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, and the class Querco roboris-Fagetea sylvaticae.

G. Bacchetta¹, G. Iiriti¹, L. Mossa¹, C. Pontecorvo¹ & G. Serra²

¹Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi, 13, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: bacchet@unica.it; lucaiiriti@tiscali.it; mossa@unica.it; la_zappa@libero.it

²Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, via Trentino 51, I-09123 Cagliari; e-mail: lserra@tiscalinet.it

It is here presented a phytosociological study about the Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. woods of Sardinia, defining them in synphytosociological, synecological and synchorological terms. The analysis of this vegetation allowed the identification of a new association, named Cyclamino repandi-Ostryetum carpinifoliae. Within this association, three subassociations can be identified, the presence of which depends on the pedoclimatic conditions, the floristic composition and the synchorology. The typical subassociation, which can be found in the eastern Tacchi-region, has been named paeonietosum morisii, while the subassociation galietosum scabri is characteristic of the western part of such region, and the subassociation fraxinetosum orni is localised in the southern part of the Golfo di Orosei.
From the synphytosociological point of view, these coenoses represent the head of mesophilous special series, characterising of the subhumid and humid mesomediterranean bioclimatic belts in chain contact with the carbonatic climatophilous main series of Sardinia.
At to the syntaxonomy, we propose to include the above-mentioned formations within the suballiance Paeonio morisii-Quercenion ichnusae and alliance Pino calabricae-Quercion congestae, referred to the order Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae and to the class Querco roboris-Fagetea sylvaticae.

G. Ciaschetti, L. Di Martino, A.R. Frattaroli & G. Pirone

Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Università dell’Aquila, via Vetoio, loc. Coppito I – 67100 L’Aquila; e-mail: gpciasko@univaq.it

Viene presentata una sintesi sulla vegetazione a dominanza di leccio (Quercus ilex L.) in Abruzzo. L’elaborazione di rilievi editi in letteratura ed originali ha portato a riconoscere le associazioni Cyclamino hederifolii-Quercetum ilicis, Festuco exaltatae-Quercetum ilicis, Cephalanthero longifoliae-Quercetum ilicis ed a proporre la nuova associazione Cytisophyllo sessilifolii-Quercetum ilicis che riunisce le fitocenosi su substrati carbonatici delle conche intermontane. Tali associazioni sono inquadrate nell’alleanza, di recente istituzione, Fraxino orni-Quercion ilicis. Altre comunità miste a dominanza di leccio della fascia interna, submontana, sono invece riferibili all’associazione Cytiso sessilifolii-Quercetum pubescentis dei Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, della quale si propone la nuova subassociazione quercetosum ilicis.

Blasi C.¹, Di Pietro R.¹ & Filesi L.²

¹Dipartimento di Biologia vegetale Università “La Sapienza” di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma; e-mail: carlo.blasi@uniroma1.it

²Dipartimento di Pianificazione, Università IUAV di Venezia, Cà Tron, Santa Croce 1957, I-30135 Venezia

This paper presents a new sintaxonomical scheme for Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeaeQuercetalia pubescenti-petraeae order occurs in the study area in the form of five alliances: Quercion pubescenti-petraeae (suball.: Buxo-Quercenion pubescentis), Carpinion orientalisCampanulo-Ostryenion, Laburno-Ostryenion stat. nov.; Lauro-Quercenion pubescentis and Cytiso-Quercenion pubescentis), Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis nom. conserv. propos. (suball.: Teucrio-Quercenion cerridis suball. nov., Ptilostemo-Quercenion cerridis); Pino-Quercion congestae (suball.: Pino-Quercenion congestaeQuercenion virgilianae suball. nov.) and Erythronio-Quercion petraeae. The Quercion pubescenti-petraeae is a sintaxon with a sub-continental character and within the Italian Peninsula it is restricted to Ligurian-Piedmontese Apennine in the form of the sub-alliance Buxo-Quercenion pubescentis. Carpinion orientalis is a sintaxon with oceanic/suboceanic features, which is widely distributed along the entire Italian Peninsula. It occurs mainly on limestone substrates forming woodlands which can be potential vegetation types and also woods of secondary origin and evolution. The Teucrio-Quercion cerridis is an alliance which is widely distributed within central and southern Italy, where it finds its coenological optimum on acid, subacid or neutral substrates such as volcanic outcrops, flysch, sandstones or clayey-arenaceous sediments. In this alliance are included both thermophilous Quercus cerris and Quercus petraea woodlands of Tuscany, Umbria and northern Latium, together with Quercus cerris and Quercus frainetto woodlands of southern Italy. The alliance Pino-Quercion congestae is restricted to Sicily and southern Calabria, and includes Quercus virgilianaQ. dalechampii hilly woodlands, and also sub-montane and lower-montane Quercus congesta woods. Finally, Erythronio-Quercion petraeae behaves as a typical mesophilous and microthermic alliance which exhibits clear biogeographical similarities with towards the central-european woodlands. This alliance is restricted to the northern Apennines where it is in geo-serial contact with Carpinion betuli, Quercion robori-petraeae and Fagion woodlands.

L. Gianguzzi¹ & A. La Mantia²

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 38, I – 90123 Palermo; e-mail: gianguzz@unipa.it

²Dipartimento di Metodologie Fisiche e Chimiche per l’Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Catania, viale AndreaDoria 6, I – 95125 Catania; e-mail: kirikuri@inwind.it

Phytosociological, synecological and synchorological observations on relict Petagnaea gussonei (Galio-Urticetea) vegetation in Nebrodi Mountains (NE Sicily). The results of a study on the Petagnaea gussonei vegetation are presented. This rare endemism belonging to Apiaceae is located in some relict sites of Mts. Nebrodi (NE Sicily) where characterizes the phytocoenotic aspects of the streams in the hilly and submountain belts. According to bibliographic data and to releves surveyed in each location of the distribution area, the phytosociological analysis allowed to refer this phytocoenoses to Petagnaeetum gussonei (nom. mut. propos.), as well as to define the syntaxonomic hierarchization within the Mycelido-Stachydion sylvaticae alliance (Circaeo-Stachydetaliasylvaticae, Galio-Urticetea). This association is differentiated by the presence of relict species and ebtities of phytogeographic interest. Besides, the distribution, ecology, floristic and phytocoenotic characterization were investigated. The catena links of the coenoses and the synchorological connection to other Mycelido-Stachydion sylvaticaePetagnaeetum gussonei, the Chrysosplenio-Lereschietum thomasii association, occurring in Appennino Calabro (Aspromonte, Sila e Serre S. Bruno), is characterized by a paleoendemic and taxonomically isolated species belonging to Apiaceae, Lereschia thomasii. Besides, the two phytocoenoses are in relation because of their similar ecology and floristic composition rich in elements irradiated to the south of European continent during the coolest periods of the Quaternary.

F. Martini, M. Codogno, L. Comelli & O. Mesiano

Dipartimento di Biologia Università di Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 10, I-34100 Trieste; e-mail: fmartini@xnet.it

The vegetation of the green roofs in Trieste (NE-Italy). The vegetation of the green roof in Trieste has been studied with particular regard to the bryophytic component. Two phytocoenoses belonging to Sedo-Scleranthetea are described on the base of 40 phytosociological releves: Acino arvensis-Trifolietum scabri and Hylothelephium telephium ssp. maximum-Phytocoenon. Some considerations on the floristic composition, biological and chorological spectra, ecology and phytosociology of these coenoses are also given.