Title
Armorican (sessile oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea) with Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata, Ruscus aculeatus, Blechnum spicant and numerous epiphytic cryptogams
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Brittany; Great Britain: Channel Islands (Guersey, Jersey)
area frequency
3 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Fago-Quercetum Tüxen 1955, hyperatlantic race, Rusco-Fagetum Durin et al. 1967, Ilici-Fagion Braun-Blanquet 1966.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
beech dominated forests with varying proportions of oak. The stands are characterised by a remarkable richness in epiphytes which owes its existence to the moisture and cleanliness of the sea air: Polypodium vulgare, numerous lichen species (6 Usnea, 4 Sorbaria, 2 Parmelia, 2 Sticta species), bryophytes and the liverwort Frullania tamarisci that colonises tree branches (Des Abbayes 1934, 1954). The undergrowth contains numerous evergreen shrub species and lianas, particularly Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata, Buxus sempervirens, Ruscus aculeatus and Hedera helix. The herb layer is diversely interwoven.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, Quercus petraea stem-wise admixed, Quercus robur, Castanea sativa (introduced, with natural rejuvenatiom)
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata, Buxus sempervirens, Ruscus aculeatus, Corylus avellana less constant, rarely Sorbus torminalis, Sorbus aucuparia, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Frangula alnus, Mespilus germanica, Pyrus communis, exceptionable Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Herb layer
Pteridium aquilinum, Holcus mollis, Polypodium vulgare, Blechnum spicant, further acidophytes as well as Fagetalia species: Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Carex pilulifera
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Plagiothecium undulatum
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea; Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata, Ruscus aculeatus; Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Polypodium vulgare, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Holcus mollis, epiphyte lichens and mosses
Ecological variants
S Subassociation "melicetosum" on comparatively deep and base-rich soils; on diorites and mica slates there are groups of Buxus sempervirens in places; with Fagetalia species: Milium effusum, Melica uniflora, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, Euphorbia amygdaloides, less frequently Carex sylvatica, Polygonatum multiflorum, Anemone nemorosa, Stellaria holostea, Poa nemoralis, Viola riviniana, and scattered Galium odoratum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta;S Subassociation "vaccinietosum" on granites, gneisses and other base-poor silicate rocks with acidophytes: Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Carex pilulifera, on moister soils with Molinia caerulea.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The two above-described forms share the region depending on soil trophy: a) Melica-form on slate and clay-slate soils as well as quaternary loam sediments along the coasts in the north of the peninsula; b) Vaccinium form with a preference for granite hills.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In coastal, protected ravines ash, elm or oak-beech forest with Rubus ulmifolius, Rubia peregrina, Arum italicum (subsp. neglectum), Iris foetidissima, Primula acaulis, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Conopodium majus, Asplenium scolopendrium and Polystichum setiferum; natural heath, bogs.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
coastal heaths (E11, E12), acidophilous oak forests (F4), species-poor beech forests (F76), dune vegetation (P7), salt vegetation (P23).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Plantations of degraded forests and heaths with maritime pine and other conifers. Deciduous forests occupy only a small area. The agriculturally used regions are characterised by traditional, Breton bocage (hedge) structures of which there are several forms: with pedunculate oak in combination with sweet chestnut and/or beech and in the coastal areas of Léon and Cournouaille with field elm.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
The traditional mixed cultivation has made room more and more for livestock rearing, grazing and animal fodder production. Inland granite upheavals are frequently covered by heaths.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
In the southern coastal regions there is cultivation of early spring vegetables (especially cauliflower and artichoke).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Landscapes on coastal plateaus and hills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland-colline; 0 to 250-300 m in the inland
Geology (bedrock)
micaceous schist, gneiss, amphibolites, diorites, slate (Devonian, Ordovician, Silurian, Upper Carboniferous, Cambrian, Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
oligo- to mesotrophic brown soils, locally parabrown soils; (dystric and eutric cambisols; orthic luvisols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist, locally moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(IV)2, VI(V)2
average annual temperature
10-12 EC
average annual precipitation
700-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-17 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 4-7 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
"Hyperatlantic" part of Brittany.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only a few semi-natural forest stands remain preserved (state forests are well protected).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural vegetation units.
causes of endangerment
Clearing, agricultural use, timber harvesting.
required measures for protection and restitution
Strict protection of all semi-natural forest stands, regeneration of degraded stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
France: forests of Carnoët, Coatloch and Cranou (Finistère), Loudéac, Beffou (with Buxus sempervirens) and Coat-an-Noz (Côtes du Nord), Pont Callech and Quénécan (Morbihan), Bricquebec, Tessy-sur-Vere and Hague (Kanal) for the Cotentin peninsula.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
France: aerohaline heaths and halophilous vegetation at the coasts. Large-scaled heaths and some peat bog sites in the nature park of Armaigue. Heaths of Loudéac.
Most important references (author, year)
Corillion 1965a; Corillion 1968; Durin, Géhu, Noirfalise & Sougnez 1967; Géhu & Géhu-Franck 1986
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise; completed by C. Hettwer based on documents by J.C. Rameau, revision U. Bohn
