Title
Catalonian-southeast Iberian semi-arid kermes oak forests (Quercus coccifera) with Rhamnus lycioides
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: provinces Murcia, Almeria, Valencia, Taragona, Aragon
area frequency
14 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Rhamno lycoidis-Quercetum cocciferae Braun-Blanquet & O. Bolós 1954.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense Quercus coccifera forests with thornwood shrubs, junipers, pines and other Mediterranean, thermophilous shrubs (also forest steppes).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
(Pinus halepensis)
Shrub layer
Quercus coccifera, Rhamnus lycioides, Juniperus phoenicea, Juniperus oxycedrus, Pistacia lentiscus, Ephedra fragilis, Daphne gnidium, Jasminum fruticans
Lianas
Asparagus horridus, Rubia peregrina, Clematis flammula
Herb layer
Stipa tenacissima, Lygeum spartum, Brachypodium retusum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus coccifera, Rhamnus lycioides, Juniperus phoenicea
Ecological variants
quercetosum cocciferae: typical form; pistacietosum lentisci: lower meso-Mediterranean belt (Pistacia lentiscus).
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)
Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J4, J6, J7, J39, J44, J43), open juniper woodlands (K30), alluvial forests (U30).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus halepensis plantations; degraded scrub: Sideritis scordioides subsp. cavanillesii, Linum suffruticosum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Helianthemum marifolium; garrigue.
Murcia-Almeria province: Scrub: Dactylo hispanicae-Lygeetum sparti; tomillares: Stipo-Sideritetum leucanthae, Sideritido bourgeanae-Thymelaeaetum membranaceae, Teucrio lanigeri-Sideritetum flavovirentis. Aragon province: Tomillares: Salvio lavandulifoliae-Ononidetum fruticosae, Rosmarino-Linetum, Helianthemetum squamati. Scrub: Ononidetum striatae, Helianthemo thibaudii-Gypsophyletum hispanicae (on gypsum soils); Lygeo sparti-Stipetum lagascae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures: Helictotricho filifolii-Stipetum tenacissimae, Ruto angustifoliae-Brachypodietum retusii (Murcia-Almeria/ Aragon provinces).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cultivation of cereals, vineyards, almonds and olive trees. Communities on no longer cultivated fields: Salsolo vermiculatae-Artemisietum herba-albae; weed communities: Roemerio-Hypecoeetum.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
limestone, metamorphic rocks (Tertiary, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
lime and chalky clay soils; xero-humus carbonate soils (brown soil with lime or gypsum crust), gypsiferous calcisol; (petrocalcic, saline calcic cambisols; gypsic and calcic xerosols)
soil texture
loamy, rich in gypsum
soil moisture, water balance
dry, very dry
soil reaction
neutral, alkaline
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(III), IV5, IV(VII), IV7b, IV7d
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
300-400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
22-25 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
2-7 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
continental climate, with a semi-arid tendency, that means sparse precipitation throughout the year. Maximum precipitation in autumn, but low precipitation in winter and spring.
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
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Alcaraz Ariza, Díaz González, Rivas-Martínez & Sánchez-Gómez 1989; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Perez Raya, Lôpez Nieto, Molero Mesa & Valle Tendero 1990; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991a; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
