Title
Catalonian-Provencal meso-Mediterranean holm oak forests (Quercus ilex) with Quercus coccifera, Euphorbia characias, Viburnum tinus
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: from the Spanish border as far as Cannes (Languedoc, Provence); Spain: Catalonia
area frequency
11 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Lauro-Quercetum ilicis Barbéro & Loisel 1983, Epipactido-Quercetum ilicis Barbéro & Loisel 1983, Viburno tini-Quercetum ilicis (Braun-Blanquet 1936) Rivas-Martínez 1975 (Quercetum illicis gallo-provinciale Braun-Blanquet 1936).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense, evergreen, three- to four-layered, more or less closed, uniform, relatively species-deficient (average number of species: 23) holm oak forests with additions of Pinus pinaster. The many shrubs and lianas (particularly ivy) render the stands almost impervious. In its optimal state a cool-fresh internal climate prevails. The often only weakly closed herb layer harbours many Mediterranean species (particularly species of the Quercetea ilicis and lower syntaxa).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens, locally Pinus pinaster
Shrub layer
Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Viburnum tinus, Arbutus unedo, Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia, Cytisus villosus, Buxus sempervirens, Erica arborea, Daphne gnidium, Rhamnus alaternus
Lianas
Smilax aspera, Rubia peregrina, Tamus communis, Lonicera implexa, Rosa sempervirens, Clematis flammula, Hedera helix, Rubus ulmifolius
Herb layer
Brachypodium phoenicoides, Brachypodium retusum, Asplenium onopteris, Pteridium aquilinum, Carlina corymbosa, Viola alba subsp. dehnhardtii, Hyparrhenia hirta, Asparagus acutifolius, Ruscus aculeatus, Cyclamen repandum, Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pinnatifidum, Euphorbia characias, Carex distachya, Carex halleriana, Stachys officinalis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hypnum cupressiforme, Scorpiurium circinatum, Amblystegium serpens, Fissidens taxifolius, Isothecium alopecuroides
Diagnostically important species
Quercus ilex; Quercus coccifera, Rosa sempervirens, Lonicera implexa, Viburnum tinus, Phillyrea latifolia; Euphorbia characias, Lonicera etrusca, Epipactis microphylla, Piptatherum paradoxum, Carex olbiensis, Cephalanthera rubra, Cephalanthera damasonium, Viola alba subsp. dehnhardtii
Ecological variants
quercetosum ilicis as a typical subassociation; suberetosum: on more oligotrophicic soils with Quercus suber; quercetosum pubescentis: on moister soils with Quercus pubescens; junipero-quercetosum rotundifoliae: on drier soils with Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia. On fresh soils a type with Fraxinus ornus.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni, Pinus pinaster forests on base-deficient rocks.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
downy oak forests (G38, G41, G42, G44), Quercus faginea forests (G72), Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J4, J9, J6, J39, J15, J27, J28), pine forests (K21), dune vegetation (P11), salt vegetation (P26), tall sedge swamps (R3), moist and alluvial forests (U30, U33).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Stands usually managed as low forests, Pinus pinea and Pinus halepensis plantations; macchia with Erica arborea (Quercetum ilicis ericetosum) and/or Arbutus unedo; garrigue: Quercetum cocciferae, Erico-Thymelaeetum tinctoriae, Cytiso-Cistetum clusii with Cistus species and Lavandula stoechas.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures: Phlomido-Brachypodietum retusi, Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubenscentis at sun-exposed slopes.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Vineyards, olive groves, cereals (Secalinion Mediterraneanum).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
plains, hill country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland (colline), supra-Mediterranean; 0-250 m, in France partly up to 400 m; Spain: 300-800 m
Geology (bedrock)
silicate sediments (Quaternary, Tertiary); limestone (Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
humus carbonate soils, brown soils, partly with transitions to brown- or red loams, in the south of France terra rossa; (stony calcic, (stony) dystric and chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols; leptosols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy with a high part of grouan and coarse sand
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV2, IV3, IV(VI)
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
350-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July/August 22-24 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
7-10 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Stands usually managed as low forest, very heavily shaped by anthropo-zoogenic influences; only small fragments remain preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Forestry, agricultural use, tourism.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of semi-natural remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Barbéro & Loisel 1983; Bolòs de 1962; Braun-Blanquet 1936; Braun-Blanquet, Roussine & Nègre 1952; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová and J.-M. Géhu; V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Hettwer based on documents by J.-C. Rameau
