Title
Middle Apennine mixed hop-hornbeam-downy oak forests (Quercus pubescens, Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus) with Acer obtusatum, Scutellaria columnae, Melittis melissophyllum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Central Italy: Liguria, Abruzzia, Latium, Umbria, Marche
area frequency
7 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Melampyro italici-Ostryetum Ubaldi et al. 1987, Ostryo-Aceretum opulifolii Ubaldi et al. 1987, Scutellario-Ostryetum Pedrotti, Ballelli & Biondi 1979, Lavandulo-Ostryetum (Barbéro et al. 1971) Ubaldi 1993, Fraxino excelsioris-Ostryetum (Barbéro et al. 1971) Ubaldi et al. 1987, Roso caninae-Ostryetum (Barbéro & Bono 1970) Ubaldi et al. 1987, Asplenio-Ostryetum (Barbéro & Bono 1970) Ubaldi et al. 1987, Melitti-Ostryetum Avena et al. 1980.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Low to moderately high, two- to three-layered species-rich forests, with many Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae and some Fagetalia species in the herb layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus pubescens, Quercus pubescens x Quercus cerris, Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Acer obtusatum, Acer campestre, Acer monspessulanum
Shrub layer
Hippocrepis emerus, Buxus sempervirens, Crataegus monogyna, Laburnum anagyroides, Daphne laureola, Cornus mas, Ligustrum vulgare, Prunus mahaleb, Euonymus europaea
Lianas
Clematis vitalba, Lonicera etrusca
Herb layer
Scutellaria columnae, Melittis melissophyllum, Melampyrum italicum, Knautia drymeia, Lavandula angustifolia, Campanula trachelium, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Euphorbia dulcis, Viola reichenbachiana, Melica uniflora, Hepatica nobilis, Primula acaulis, Lathyrus venetus, Helleborus foetidus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus pubescens, Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Acer obtusatum; Scutellaria columnae, Melittis melissophyllum, Melampyrum italicum, Knautia drymeia, Lavandula angustifolia
Ecological variants
On fresh north-facing slopes a form with Corylus avellana.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The associations listed under the heading 'Scientific Name' are sometimes ecological or geographical types.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
On rocky steep slopes Quercus ilex bush forest, on scree slopes Cotinus coggygria scrub, in sinkholes Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa forests, Salicetum albae, Phragmites australis reed vegetation.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-rich beech forests (F146), bitter oak forests (G14), downy oak forests (G44), holm oak forests (J18, J19), alluvial forests (U20).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Ostrya carpinifolia-Fraxinus ornus low forests, Pinus nigra, Pinus halepensis forestry, Cytisus sessilifolium scrub, Spartium junceum scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grazed Brometalia semi-arid grasslands (Crepido lacerae-Phleion ambigui); fringes with Vicia tenuifolia, Securigera varia.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal fields, calcareous crop fields (Consolida regalis, Papaver rhoeas), vineyards (traditional cultivated form with Acer campestre as a carrier tree), orchards (almonds, peach).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Nitrophilous forest edge and ruderal vegetation with Conium maculatum in brook valleys.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
uplands with steep slopes and rocky ravines, broad valleys as well as basins
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline to montane; 200-1000 m
Geology (bedrock)
carbonate rocks (Cretaceous, Jurassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
humus carbonate soils, lime-rich brown soils; stone-rich, locally talus; (calcic and vertic cambisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy, stone-rich, partly rocky
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry, locally fresh
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
mesotrophic to eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV5(X)
average annual temperature
10-13,5 °C
average annual precipitation
700-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-21 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
3-4 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Warm summers with short dry periods.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The range was greatly reduced by clearing in earlier times, greatly modified structure due to low forest exploitation; the natural species assemblage has usually been preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All structural nearly-natural stands are worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Low forest management with very short rotation times (15 years), charcoal-production, forest grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Ecological restitution, cessation of low forest management and forest grazing.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: Fabriano (Marche), Val Nerina (Umbria), Monte Terminillo (Lazio).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Abbate, Blasi, Di Marzio & Scoppola 1993; Avena, Blasi, Scoppola & Veri 1980; Mondino, Cristaldi & Puppi 1993; Pedrotti, Ballelli & Biondi 1979; Ubaldi, Zanotti, Puppi, Speranza & Corbetta 1987
Compiled by
N. Doniţă based on documents by F. Pedrotti and Z. Neuhäuslová, completed by U. Bohn
