Title
Middle Apennine submontane relict beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) with Ilex aquifolium, Daphne laureola, Laurus nobilis, Cyclamen hederifolium
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Italy: small-scaled in south Tuscany, west Latium (on slopes close to the coast), north Apulia (Gargano), west Campania (Monti Picentini, Monti del Cilento), west Lukania (Massiccio del Pollino)
area frequency
9 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Aquifolio-Fagetum Gentile 1969; Polysticho-Fagetum aceretosum Feoli & Lagonegro 1982 p.p. (syn.: Aremonio-Fagetum Hoffmann 1961, Taxo-Fagetum Biondi 1982, Anemono-Fagetum Brullo 1983).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Two- to three-layered, tree-species-rich mixed beech forests with Ilex aquifolium and Taxus baccata (rarer) in the lower tree layer. Acer obtusatum and Acer pseudoplatanus are added locally as representatives of early succession stages. In the tree layer there is also quite commonly Quercus cerris and rarely Castanea sativa and Quercus petraea. Daphne laureola is characteristic for the shrub layer. Species of mesophilous forests predominate n the herb layer, including species of the Carpinion and the Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae. Mosses are found particularly on stones. Phanerophytes are more numerous than they are in other beech forest communities.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica predominating, admixed Quercus cerris, rarely Castanea sativa, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus, locally with Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer obtusatum subsp. neapolitanum, Acer obtusatum subsp. obtusatum, Acer campestre, Ostrya carpinifolia
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium (also lower tree-layer), Daphne laureola, Taxus baccata, Laurus nobilis, Buxus sempervirens, Ruscus aculeatus
Lianas
Hedera helix, Tamus communis, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Herb layer
Sanicula europaea, Galium odoratum, Melica uniflora, Hepatica nobilis, Anemone apennina, Lathyrus venetus, Viola reichenbachiana, Viola hirta, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Allium ursinum, Allium triquetrum, Festuca drymeja, Aremonia agrimonoides, Mercurialis perennis, Ranunculus lanuginosus, Asplenium scolopendrium, Limodorum abortivum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Ilex aquifolium; Daphne laureola, Ruscus aculeatus, Euonymus latifolia; Anemone apennina, Lathyrus venetus, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Asplenium scolopendrium, Vinca minor, Arum maculatum. Mapping unit floristically weakly differentiated by other mesophilous and beech forest communities quite in need of warmth in south and southeast Europe.
Ecological variants
Form with Laurus nobilis and/or Vinca minor at moist-warm sites and in mild winter-humid climatic areas of the Tyrrhenian region; form with Castanea sativa, Quercus cerris, rarely Tilia platyphyllos, Ulmus glabra and Quercus petraea on acid, carbonate-free, but base and nutrient-rich sites of the pre-Apennine or coastal regions (on volcanic rocks of southern Tuscany and from northern Latium as well as deep, well-developed soils in Campania and Calabria); a form with Abies alba in late succession stages in humid-warm-summer climate locations at the edges of stony or rocky altitudes in the southern Apennines.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In central Italy with Aristolochia rotunda, Hordelymus europaeus; in southern Italy partly with Acer lobelii, Alnus cordata and Ulmus glabra in the tree layer.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In wetter valleys: Carpinion betuli, Tilio-Acerion; at drier sites on scree and rock: Quercetalia robori-petraeae and Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae stands; at higher altitudes contact with Polysticho-Fagetum or other Geranio nodosi-Fagion communities; in wet gulleys with Alno-Ulmion communities (Salicetum apenninae).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
sessile oak-mixed bitter oak forests (G11, G14), hop-mixed downy oak forests (G52, G53), holm oak forests (J17, J18).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Castanea sativa, Quercus cerrium and Quercus petraea stands on fresh sites; Ostrya carpinifolia, Acer spp., Quercus cerris low forests on carbonate-rich sites; Pinus nigra, Pinus pinaster forestry in central and southern Italy; Rhamno-Prunetalia scrub with and without Cytisus scoparius, Pteridium aquilinum forest clearing vegetation.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Semi dry grassland (Crepido lacerae-Phleion ambigui); thermophilous fringe communities of the Trifolio-Geranietea sanguinei.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereals: weed-communities with species of the Secalinetea.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Ruderal vegetation with Sambucus nigra, Arum italicum, Smyrnium olusatrum, Conium maculatum (Glechometalia hederaceae, Artemisiietea vulgaris).
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Mountainous country: ravines/gorges in the pre-Apennines. In central and southern Italy mostly at level locations, and sometimes karst landscapes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(colline), submontane to montane; 350 m (north Latium), 500-1700 m (Campania), 500-1000 m (Gargano)
Geology (bedrock)
volcanic rocks (Tertiary) in the north; limestone in the centre and in the east
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich and leached brown soils, ranker, rendzines; (eutric and chromic cambisols; eutric and rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy to stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
moderately acidic to neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic, eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV4
average annual temperature
13-15 EC
average annual precipitation
700-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 23-24 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 4-5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Shaded slopes and valleys with well-balanced temperature and air moisture (winter-mild-humid climate sites).
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The few still remaining semi-natural stands lie outside of the agriculturally exploited areas. As a result of low forest management that has endured for centuries, the remaining stands have been damaged more severely than any other type of beech forest community. Most stands of the mesophilous, Ilex aquifolium-rich mixed deciduous forests of the Aquifolio-Fagetums in the Tyrrhenian region of Italy have been destroyed.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Nearly-natural, old forest stands with a species-rich tree-layer, Ilex aquifolium-high scrubs. The mappimg unit has a relict character and was admitted to the list of protected biotopes of the European Union.
causes of endangerment
Formerly grazing and forest use. Currently tourism, urbanization, and the politically motivated removal of protection status for the semi-natural stands.
required measures for protection and restitution
Designation of additional protected areas.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: Monti della Tolfa (Parco Regionale - Regione Lazio), Monti Sabatine, Monti Cimini (Riserve Naturali Regionali - Regione Lazio), Monti Albani (Parco Regionale - Regione Lazio), Monti Lepini (Parco Regionale - Regione Lazio), Monti Aurunci (Parco Regionale - Regione Lazio), Monti della Meta (Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo), Monti Picentini (Parco Regionale - Regione Campania), Monti del Cilento (Parco Regionale - Regione Campania), Monti del Pollino e Monti di Verbicaro-Orsomarso (Parco Nazionale del Pollino, Regione Lucania e Regione Campania); Foresta Umbra (Parco Nazionale del Gargano - Regione Puglia).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Represented in isolated reserves mentioned above.
Most important references (author, year)
Faliński & Pedrotti 1990; Gentile 1969a; Ubaldi, Zanotti, Puppi, Speranza & Corbetta 1987
Compiled by
F. Spada, revised by U. Bohn
