Title
Central Iberian supra-Mediterranean Quercus pyrenaica-forests with Sorbus torminalis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: scattered and relatively small-scaled in the southern central of Spain (subsectores Oretano and Marianense, Sierra de Guadalupe, Montes de Toledo; Sierra Madrona, Sierra de Tudia)
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Sorbo torminalis-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas Goday ex Rivas-Martínez 1987 (= Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas Goday 1964 typicum).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Quercus pyrenaica forests with an interspersed shrub layer, dominant perennial herbs in the herb layer, as well as bulb plants, spring bloomers and markedly ombrophilous species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus pyrenaica, admixed Sorbus torminalis
Shrub layer
Cytisus scoparius, Genista florida, Genista cinerea, Ilex aquifolium, Adenocarpus complicatus
Herb layer
Moehringia pentandra, Hyacinthoides hispanica, Viola riviniana, Geranium sanguineum, Astragalus glycyphyllos, Trifolium medium, Melittis melissophyllum, Arenaria montana, Luzula forsteri, Vicia sepium
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus pyrenaica; Sorbus torminalis; Moehringia pentandra, Hyacinthoides hispanica, Viola riviniana
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G70), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J1), cork oak forests (J25).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; broom scrub: Cytiso scopari-Genistetum floridae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Heaths: Halimio ocymoidis-Ericetum aragonensis; Halimio-Ericetum umbellatae. Pastures: Hieracio castellanae-Plantaginion radicatae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal cultivation.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country, northern slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
supra-Mediterranean; 1000-1600 m
Geology (bedrock)
slate, quarzite, granites (Palaeozoic; Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-deficient brown soils; (lithic dystric cambisols; chromic luvisols)
soil texture
stony, loamy-sandy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV4, IV(VI)
average annual temperature
8-12 °C
average annual precipitation
700 to >1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-22 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
5-7 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
subhumid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Montes de Toledo, Sierra de Guadalupe, Madrona, de San Andres.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Goday 1964; Rivas-Martínez 1964; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
