Title
Baetic supra-Mediterranean Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests with Adenocarpus decorticans on siliceous and serpentine rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South Spain: Baetic Cordillaran (sector Nevadense, Alpujarreño-Gadorense and Malacitano-Almijarense)
area frequency
4 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Adenocarpo decorticantis-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas-Martínez 1987.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense, low-growing Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forests, locally with Quercus petraea or Quercus robur, accompanied by Juniperus oxycedrus.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia
Shrub layer
Adenocarpus decorticans, Juniperus oxycedrus, Crataegus monogyna, Jasminum fruticans, Lonicera etrusca, Ruscus aculeatus
Lianas
Clematis flammula; Rubia peregrina, Asparagus acutifolius
Herb layer
Doronicum plantagineum, Festuca scariosa, Thapsia villosa, Festuca elegans, Helleborus foetidus, Asplenium onopteris
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia; Adenocarpus decorticans, Jasminum fruticans, Juniperus oxycedrus; Festuca scariosa, Genista cinerea, Cytisus scoparius subsp. reverchonii, Euphorbia pinea, Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas
Ecological variants
quercetosum rotundifoliae: supra-Mediterranean; retametosum sphaerocarpae: meso-Mediterranean, dry sites with Retama sphaerocarpa; quercetosum suberis: meso-Mediterranean, upper drier regions and lower subhumid regions with Quercus suber.
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)
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Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
oro-Mediterranean vegetation (C34), Quercus pyrenaica forests (G69), Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J4, J3, J10, J30, J31, J43).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; kermes oak forests: Teucrio compacti-Quercetum cocciferae (meso-Mediterranean); dense scrub: Adenocarpus decorticans, Cytisus scoparius, Cytisus grandiflorus, Retama sphaerocarpa; degraded scrub: Cistus ladanifer, Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata, Halimium umbellatum subsp. viscosum, Cistus laurifolius. Broom scrub: Cytiso scopari-Adenocarpetum decorticantis, Genisto versicoloris-Adenocarpetum decorticantis (supra-Mediterranean). Thornwood: Crataego monogynae-Loniceretum arboreae. Cistaceae scrub: Halimio viscosi-Cistetum laurifolii, Lavandulo stoechadi-Genistetum equisitiformis.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pasture land: Festuca scariosa, Agrostis castellana, Tuberaria guttata; perennial pastures: Plantago radicatae-Festucetum aragonensis (supra-Mediterranean); therophytic pastures: Trifolio cherleri-Plantaginetum bellardii; Trifolio cherleri-Taeniatheretum caput-medusae; communities with Festuca elegans and Festuca scariosa; grasslands: Dactylo hispanicae-Festucetum scariosae (meso-Mediterranean). Thyme communities (tomillares): Artemisio glutinosae-Santolinetum rosmarinifoliae, Artemisio barrelieri-Helichrysetum serotini.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Arable crop fields.
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
supra- and meso-Mediterranean; 900-1900 m
Geology (bedrock)
slate, silicate rocks (Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
eutric regosol and cambisols (Gómez Mercado & Valle, 1988); (stony eutric and dystric cambisols; eutric regosols)
soil texture
stony, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry, dry
soil reaction
acidic, weakly acidic
soil fertility
mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
III(IV), IV(III), IV4
average annual temperature
8-13 °C
average annual precipitation
<700 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 to 3 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
dry climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Poorly preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Transformation into pasture land, afforestation with plantations of coniferous trees.
required measures for protection and restitution
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; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
