Title
Semi-arid mastic tree forests (Pistacia lentiscus) in the region of Almeria and Murcia
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South-east Spain: provinces Murcia, Almeria and Alicante (sector Almeriense)
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Chamaeropo humilis-Rhamnetum lycioidis O. Bolòs 1957.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense scrub, consisting mainly of nanophanerophytes such as dwarf palm and mastic trees, in which lianas of Mediterranean character also occur.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Pistacia lentiscus, Rhamnus lycioides, Chamaerops humilis, Ephedra fragilis, Osyris lanceolata, Rhamnus alaternus, Withania frutescens, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster
Lianas
Lonicera implexa, Rubia peregrina, Asparagus albus
Herb layer
Sideritis leucantha, Stipa tenacissima, Stipa capensis, Helictotrichon murcicum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pistacia lentiscus, Chamaerops humilis, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Rhamnus lycioides
Ecological variants
rhamnetosum lycioidis; salsoletosum webbii: in western Almeria with Baetic influence.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
With endemic and also Mauritanian species. Endemic species: Anabasis articulata, Astragalus hispanicus, Launaea lanifera, Satureja obovata subsp. canescens, Sideritis pusilla, Thymus hyemalis; Brassica fruticulosa subsp. cossoniana, Calendula arvensis, Calicotome infesta subsp. intermedia, Helianthemum caput-felis, Periploca angustifolia, Tetraclinis articulata, Ziziphus lotus.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
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Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
meso- and thermo-Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests and dry scrubs (J10, J7, J38, J30, J31, J44, J51), alluvial forests (U32).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Plantations with Pinus halepensis; dense scrub: Rhamnus lycioides, Chamaerops humilis, Pistacia lentiscus, Asparagus albus; degraded scrub: Sideritis leucantha, Teucrium carolipaui, Thymus munbyanus subsp. mastigophorus, Astragalus hispanicus; Atriplici glaucae-Salsoletum genistoidis (nitrophilous scrub on dry sites); Atriplicetum glaucae-serrulati (weakly-salty nitrophilous scrub); Suaedo verae-Salsoletum oppositifoliae (nitrophilous scrub on moist soils). Thyme communities: Stipo tenacissimae-Sideritidetum iilicitanae near Alicante, Helianthemo almeriensis-Sideritidetum pusillae in the region of Almeria, Cisto albidi-Saturejetum canescentis.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Perennial pastures: Teucrio pseudochamaepitys-Brachypodietum retusii (Alicante); Lapiedro martinezii-Stipetum tenacissimae on slightly loamy soils; Dactylo hispanicae-Lygeetum sparti on clay soils; Ruto angustifolii-Brachypodietum retusii; Aristido coerulescentis-Hyparrhenieum hirtae; therophyte pastures: Plantagini amplexicaulis-Stipetum retortae in the area of Alicante, Eryngio ilicifolii-Plantaginetum ovatae in the area of Murcia-Almeria. Nitrophilous communities: Asphodelo fistulosii-Hordeetum leporini, Sisymbrio irionis-Malvetum parviflorae, Halagetoneto sativi-Bassietum hyssopifoliae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Areas where irrigation fields are being constructed, livestock breeding.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
thermo-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
fluviatile sediments (Pleistocene); metamorph-rocks (Tertiary, Triassic, Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
carbonate soils; (chromic luvisols; calcic xerosols)
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to very dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
III(IV), IV(III)
average annual temperature
17-19 °C
average annual precipitation
250-350 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
24-28 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
7-12 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
semi-arid ombro climate (rainshadow-location), more or less high continentality. Typical climatic conditions do have the stations of
Murcia 39,6 °C max. -2,7 °C min
Orihueka 40,9 °C max. -2,3 °C min
Alicante 37,7 °C max. -0,4 °C min.
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
Tourism, livestock breeding, irrigation cultivation.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: From Campello (Alicante) to Almería.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Alcaraz Ariza 1984; Alcaraz Ariza, Díaz González, Rivas-Martínez & Sánchez-Gómez 1989; Alcaraz Ariza, Sánchez-Gómez, Torre de la, Rios & Alvarez Rogel 1991; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Perez Raya, Lôpez Nieto, Molero Mesa & Valle Tendero 1990; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez
