Title
Extremadurian meso-Mediterranean basiphilous Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests, partly with Paeonia broteroi
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: southern Extremadura; Portugal: Alentejo, (sector Mariánico-Monchiquense)
area frequency
12 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Paeonio coriaceae-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas-Martínez 1964.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
High-growing Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forests, sometimes Quercus petraea and in warmer areas Olea europaea and Pistacia lentiscus are added.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia, Quercus petraea, Olea europaea, Pistacia lentiscus
Shrub layer
Genista cinerea, Cytisus scoparius subsp. reverchonii, Quercus coccifera, Retama sphaerocarpa
Lianas
Lonicera etrusca, Lonicera periclymenum subsp. hispanica, Hedera helix, Clematis flammula, Asparagus acutifolius
Herb layer
Stipa bromoides, Ptilostemon hispanicus, Geum sylvaticum, Paeonia coriacea, Paeonia broteroi
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia, Paeonia broteroi, Cytisus scoparius subsp. reverchonii
Ecological variants
a) quercetosum rotundifoliae; b) quercetosum fagineae: meso-Mediterranean types on moister soils with Quercus faginea, Acer monspessulanum, Abies pinsapo.
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)
On moist soils: Scrophulario scorodoniae-Alnetum glutinosae, Ficario ranunculoidis-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Polygono equisetiformis-Tamaricetum africanae, Rubo ulmifolii-Nerietum oleandri, Viti sylvestris-Salicetum atrocinereae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J1, J25, J36), lowland and alluvial forests (U30).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; kermes oak forest: Crataego monogynae-Quercetum cocciferae; broom scrub: Genisto speciosae-Retametum sphaerocarpae; rosemary communities: Thymo orospedani-Cistetum clusii.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Therophytic pasture: Saxifrago tridactylites-Hornungietum petraeae (without sheep-grazing), Medicagini rigidulae-Aegilopetum geniculatae (with sheep-grazing); Arrhenathero erianthi-Stipetum tenacissimae; tomillares: Phlomido lychnitidis-Brachypodietum retusi, Artemisio glutinosae-Santolinetum canescentis (nitrophilous), Andryalo ragusinae-Artemisietum barrelieri (nitrophilous).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Olive groves, viniculture, cereals etc.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountain country (slopes and plains)
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean; 800-1500 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown and red Mediterranean soils (humus carbonate soil and terra rossa); (stony chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
stony, loamy, clayey
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry, dry
soil reaction
neutral, alkaline
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(III), IV3
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
300-500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
23-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
6-7 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
dry climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Oak forests are greatly endangered.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Anthropozoogenic influences (grazing).
required measures for protection and restitution
Cessation of use, protection of still remaining semi-natural stands.
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)
Gómez Mercado & Valle Tendero 1988; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Perez Latorre, Nieto Caldera & Cabezudo 1993; Rivas-Martínez 1964; Rivas-Martínez 1974a; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Marino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Pinto Gomes
