A numerical phytosociological study of the summits of the majella massive (Italy)

The vegetation of alpine belt karst-tectonic basins in the central Apennines (Italy)

“…The general chorological table ( Figure 6) shows a floristic division that reflects the three main Synoptic Table IV. Alpine belt scree communities in the central Apennines 1: Saxifrago -Papaveretum julici (present paper); Saxifrago -Papaveretum julici androsacetosum villosae (present paper); Saxifrago speciosae -Silenetum cenisiae Petriccione 1993; 4: Arabido alpinae -Cerastietum thomasii Biondi et al 2000; 5: Crepido -Leontodontetum montanii Feoli Chiapella e Feoli 1977. Central Apennines high altitude vegetation 377 biogeographical components characterizing the central Apennine high-altitude vegetation, such as the Circumboreal of northern provenance, the south-eastern European Orophyte, inclusive of the PyreneanAlpine -Carpathian belt and of the eastern circumMediterranean mountain system, and the Endemic. In the last-named, which altogether, including what are termed the subendemic the central-Apennine s.s. species are preponderant, confirming the fact that the central Apennines, with its lofty peaks, is a clearly autonomous biogeographical unit in the general Apennine system.…”

“…Nevertheless, the group of relevés that form the original phytosociological table of this association appears to be rather heterogeneous; consequently, the ecology of the community does not emerge in a clear manner (Feoli-Chiapella & Feoli, 1977). Since the type-relevé of this association has never been specified, it seemed to us appropriate to provide the lectotypification (The lectotypus of Gnaphalio magellensis -Plantaginetum atratae is indicated hoc loco in rel.…”

“…Since the type-relevé of this association has never been specified, it seemed to us appropriate to provide the lectotypification (The lectotypus of Gnaphalio magellensis -Plantaginetum atratae is indicated hoc loco in rel. 1 of table 1 in Feoli-Chiapella & Feoli, 1977). This allows the association to be considered a mesophilous Plantago atrata community occuring on relatively deep soils and exhibiting continuous cover.…”

“…Plantago atrata and Trifolium thalii communities in central Apennine 1: Gnaphalio -Plantaginetum atratae typicum Feoli-Chiapella e Feoli 1977 (present paper); 2: Taraxaco apenninae -Trifolietum thalii gnaphalietosum magellensis subass. nova (present paper); 3: Gnaphalio -Plantaginetum Feoli-Chiapella e Feoli 1977(From Feoli-Chiapella & Feoli, 1977; 4: Vegetation with Trifolium thalii and Plantago atrata (From Bazzichelli e Furnari, 1979); 5: Ranunculo pollinensisPlantaginetum atratae (From Biondi et al, 2000); 6: Festuco -Trifolietum thalii apenninicum (From Migliaccio, 1970); 7: Trifolio thaliiFestucetum microphyllae Petriccione & Persia 1995(From Petricione & Persia, 1995. 8: Taraxaco apennini -Trifolietum thalii Biondi et al 1992(From Biondi et al, 1992).…”

“…In this community, the subassociation typicum (corresponding to the variant to Saxifraga and Artemisia in Feoli-Chiapella & Feoli, 1977) characterizes the summit of the slopes, as does the subassociation androsacetosum villosae (subass. nova) present in environments which are more sheltered from the dominant winds or in microdepressions.…”