Title
South Apennine bitter oak forests (Quercus cerris, partly Quercus frainetto, Quercus pubescens) with Melittis melissophyllum and Lathyrus-species
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
southern Italy: Basilicata, Molese, Cantabria
area frequency
9 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Physospermo verticillati-Quercetum cerris ACO 1977, Coronillo emeri-Quercetum cerris Abbate et al. 1987, Lathyro jordani-Quercetum cerris Zanetti et al. 1993, Echinopo siculi-Quercetum frainetto Paura & Abbate 1993, Stipo bromoidis-Quercetum frainetto Abbate & Paura 1993.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Low to moderately high, two- to three-layered bitter oak forests with admixtures of Quercus pubescens and Carpinus orientalis as well as Quercus frainetto and Castanea sativa in the tree layer and many mesophilous to xerophilic deciduous forests species in the herb layer as well as with Festuco-Brometea and Thero-Brachypodietea elements. Species of the Quercetalia ilicis appear particularly in the xerophilic formation; there the tree layer is only 4-5 m high and stunted (“crippled”).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus cerris, admixed Quercus frainetto, Castanea sativa, Quercus pubescens, Quercus virgiliana, Fraxinus ornus, Ostrya carpinifolia
Shrub layer
Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Phillyrea latifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Ligustrum vulgare, Pyrus pyraster, Acer campestre, Ruscus aculeatus, locally Cytisus scoparius, Alnus cordata
Lianas
Clematis vitalba, Clematis flammula, Hedera helix, Rubus ulmifolius
Herb layer
Physospermum verticillatum, Lathyrus venetus, Lathyrus digitatus, Lathyrus niger subsp. jordanii, Lathyrus grandiflorus, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Melittis melissophyllum, Cardamine graeca, Anemone apennina, Luzula sylvatica, Primula acaulis, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica, Stachys officinalis, Vinca major, Teucrium chamaedrys, Aristolochia rotunda, Aristolochia pallida, Ptilostemon strictus, Scutellaria columnae, Heptaptera angustifolia, Hippocrepis emerus, Carex humilis, Festuca heterophylla, Oenanthe pimpinelloides, Potentilla micrantha, Geranium versicolor, Aremonia agrimonoides, Digitalis micrantha, Vicia grandiflora
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus cerris; Physospermum verticillatum, Scutellaria columnae, Heptaptera angustifolia, Lathyrus digitatus, Lathyrus niger subsp. jordanii, Lathyrus grandiflorus
Ecological variants
mesophilous form with Luzula sylvatica, Primula acaulis, Stachys officinalis, Vinca major; xerophilic form with 4-5 m high, stunted tree layer and Phillyrea latifolia, Pyrus spinosa as phanerophytes.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the south with Quercus frainetto, together with Sorbus domestica and Carpinus orientalis, locally with Alnus cordata (for example in the Sinni valley).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Alluvial forests with Alnus cordata.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-rich beech forests (F146, F147, F148), downy oak forests (G44, G53), holm oak forests (J17, J18, J21, J22), black pine forests (K12), alluvial and lowland forests as well as scrub (U18, U20, U34, U37).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Quercus cerium and chestnut forestry, Prunetalia scrub, Erica arborea macchia, Spartium junceum, Robinia pseudoacacia scrub, scrub in abandoned pastures and cultivations, Rubus ulmifolius scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures, Cistus salviifolius and Cistus creticus garrigue, Pteridium aquilinum stands, dry grassland (Phleo-Brometum erecti).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal fields, viniculture, olive groves, fruit cultivation (apricots, peaches, figs, Punica granatum), Juglans regia.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Stellarietea mediae, Cichorium intybus fringes, Sambucus ebulus forest edge vegetation.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly and lower mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane, (supra-Mediterranean); 200-900 m
Geology (bedrock)
silicate-, locally calcareous rock, basic tuffs (Tertiary, Cretaceous, Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
typical or leached, partly lime-rich brown soils; (chromic luvisols; chromic cambisols, lithic mollic andosols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy to loamy
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to dry
soil reaction
acidic to neutral
soil fertility
oligo-mesotropic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV3b, IV5(X), IV4
average annual temperature
11,5-13,6 °C
average annual precipitation
700-900 mm, increasing from the west to the east
average temperature of the warmest month
July 22-24 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January 3-5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
minimum of temperature in winter up to -16 °C.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Semi-natural stands are rare; usually strongly degraded and greatly endangered.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All less degraded stands are worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Forest grazing, fires, timber use (low forest management), clearings, agriculture, formerly also charcoal production.
required measures for protection and restitution
Strict protection of selected, if possible semi-natural stands; regeneration by natural succession in selected stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: Bosco Torricelli, Masseria Notarangelo in Montagna del Caperino, Sinni-Tal bei Castello Seluci, national park Monte Pollino.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Italy: Bosco Torricelli, Masseria Notarangelo in Montagna del Caperino.
Most important references (author, year)
Abbate, Blasi, Spada & Scoppola 1987; Abbate & Paura 1993; Corbetta & Pirone 1981; Paura & Abbate 1993; Zanotti Censoni, Corbetta & Aita 1980; Zanotti Censoni, Ubaldi, Corbetta & Pirone 1993
Compiled by
N. Doniţă based on documents by Z. Neuhäuslová and F. Pedrotti, completed by F. Spada, U. Bohn
