Title
East Mediterranean wild olive-locust tree forests (Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster) and kermes oak-mastic tree scrub (Pistacia lentiscus, Quercus coccifera), partly in combination with Pinus brutia-forests, with Cyclamen graecum, Teucrium divaricatum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Greece: south Greece close to the coast, Aegean islands; south-west Albania; (north border: Korfu-South Albania-south-east Thessaly-Dardanelles)
area frequency
149 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Ceratonio-Pistacietum lentisci Zohary & Orshan 1959; Prasio majoris-Ceratonietum siliquae Barbéro & Quézel 1980, "Oleo-Lentiscetum aegaeicum" pro parte (Horvat et al. 1974); Ceratonio-Rhamnion oleoidis Barbéro & Quézel 1979.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Semi-natural stands are not known. Hypothetically this is an evergreen, multi-layered forest consisting of Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Pistacia lentiscus, Ceratonia siliqua, Quercus coccifera, with varying participation of Pinus brutia or Pinus halepensis depending on the depth of the soil. Pistacia lentiscus and Quercus coccifera are anthropozoogenically over-represented in the current substitute scrub vegetation.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Ceratonia siliqua, Pinus brutia, Pinus halepensis
Shrub layer
Juniperus phoenicea, Rhamnus lycioides subsp. oleoides, Prasium majus, Myrtus communis, Euphorbia dendroides
Herb layer
Piptatherum coerulescens, Cyclamen graecum, Teucrium divaricatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pistacia lentiscus, Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster; Prasium majus, Myrtus communis, Euphorbis dendroides
Ecological variants
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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the Aegean with Salvia pomifera.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Nerium oleander-Tamarix scrub in Torrentia; rock coast vegetation, Mediterranean dune and shore vegetation; Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa dune scrub, Pinus brutia and Pinus halepensis forests on special sites.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Balkan oak forests (G26), holm oak forests (J22), kermes oak forests (J33), pine forests (K23), open cypress woodlands (K31), dune vegetation (P11, P12), alluvial forests and scrubs (U38, U37, U40).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus brutia and Pinus halepensis plantations and pioneer forests. Due to degradation, Quercus coccifera-Pistacia lentiscus coastal scrub, small shrub communities (garrigue, "Phrygana") with Coridothymus capitatus, Sarcopoterium spinosum, Salvia fruticosa etc.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
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arable land (characteristic weed communities)
viniculture, vegetable and cereal fields; olive tree and citrus plantations.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
coastal headlands, hilly country near to the sea
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland-colline
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic; Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
red loam, brown loam, terra rossa, terra fusca, mostly decapitated and colluvially transferred; (calcaric regosols; (stony) chromic luvisols; chromic cambisols; ferralsols)
soil texture
loamy, sandy (dunes)
soil moisture, water balance
dry
soil reaction
neutral, alkaline
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV2, IV3a, IV3b, IV4
average annual temperature
18-19 °C
average annual precipitation
500-1100 mm (in the central Aegean up to 400 mm)
average temperature of the warmest month
23-28 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
8-12 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
thermo-Mediterranean climate, nearly free of frosts.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Zonal forests not preserved; primary and secondary scrub distributed continuously over large areas (with varying degrees of degradation or regeneration); extensive areas of Pinus brutia and Pinus halepensis pioneer forests (fire-conditioned).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Stands of substitute communities with a good tendency to regeneration and progressive succession are worthy of protection (as survey objects for the reconstruction of the zonal vegetation).
causes of endangerment
Timber cutting, grazing, fire.
required measures for protection and restitution
Fencing off of regenerating areas.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Greece: south Peloponnesus, south Eubœa, Aegean islands; always only close to the coast.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Barbéro & Quézel 1976; Barbéro & Quézel 1980; Krause, Ludwig & Seidel 1963; Mullaj 1989; Raus Th. 1979; Zohary & Orshan 1959; Zohary & Orshan 1966
Compiled by
Th. Raus and E. Bergmeier, completed by J. Vangjeli
