Title
Illyrian-Dalmatian flowering ash-downy oak forests (Quercus virgiliana, Fraxinus ornus) with Centaurea triumfetti subsp. adscendens, Dianthus baltoii subsp. liburnicus, Peucedanum cervaria, Peucedanum oreoselinum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Croatia: small areas in the surroundings of Split (Zagora-area) and on the Brač island
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Orno-Quercetum virgilianae Trinajstić 1985, (Carpinetum orientalis croaticum auct. dalm. non Horvatić 1938).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Low-growing, three-layered forests with thermophilous species in all layers and umbelliferous plants in the herb layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus virgiliana, admixed Fraxinus ornus, Acer monspessulanum, locally Carpinus orientalis, Ostrya carpinifolia
Shrub layer
Cornus mas, Fraxinus ornus, Prunus mahaleb
Herb layer
Centaurea triumfettii subsp. adscendens, Dianthus baltoii subsp. liburnicus, Peucedanum cervaria, Peucedanum oreoselinum, Oenanthe pimpinelloides, Lathyrus venetus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus virgiliana, Fraxinus ornus; Centaurea triumfettii subsp. adscendens, Dianthus baltoii subsp. liburnicus, Peucedanum cervaria, Peucedanum oreoselinum
Ecological variants
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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Variant with evergreen Mediterranean forests (Quercus ilex, Phillyrea latifolia, Ruscus aculeatus) on the island of Brac.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Carpino orientalis-Quercetum virgilianae, Ostryo-Quercetum virgilianae, Carici-Centaureetum rupestris.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-rich beech forests (F150), hop-hornbeam-downy oak forests (G53, G54).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
oak low forest, Fraxinus ornus-Acer monspessulanum stands, pine forestry.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
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arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Karst landscape
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
submontane-montane; um 500 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Upper Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown soils and parabrown soils on limestone; (chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols)
soil moisture, water balance
dry
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(V)a
average annual temperature
12 °C
average annual precipitation
800-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July Å26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January 2-4 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Relatively cool climate in a Mediterranean region.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Usually degraded low forest.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Endangered formation.
causes of endangerment
Low forest management, forest grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Elimination of factors threatening this vegetation, strict protection.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Croatia: Tijarica-Aržano, Cista Provo.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Trinajstić 1985b
Compiled by
N. Doniţă based on documents by I. Trinajstić
