A new association with Patzkea paniculata on serpentine substrates at low elevations in the western Alps (Italy)

By

Colozza, Francesca
Fenoglio, Elisabetta
Barberis, Davide
Lonati, Michele

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022-11-22

Original Publication

Plant sociology

Volume

59

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

17--26

Subjects

Alps , Bromion , Grasslands , Molinia arundinacea , Phytosociology , Potentilla alba

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Pavia Società italiana di scienza della vegetazione 2012-2019

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2022592/02

 

Abstract

Patzkea paniculata usually dominates grassland communities in the subalpine and alpine belts. The analysis of a unique vegetation community found at low altitudes growing on serpentinitic substrates in the North-Western Alps (Italy) dominated by P. paniculata, is hereby presented. These communities are substantially different from already described alpine communities, framed in the alliance Festucion variae (class Caricetea curvulae, order Festucetalia spadiceae) and typical of higher elevations. Syntaxonomic and ecological investigations were performed to provide a correct phytosociological framework for these grasslands. The new association Potentillo albae-Patzkeetum paniculatae ass. nova is here described, with two different variants, one co-dominated by Bromopsis erecta and the second with co-dominance of Molinia arundinacea. It is a secondary grassland of arid environments attributable to the alliance Bromion erecti (class Festuco valesiacae-Brometea erecti), and characterized by the presence of numerous species, both rare and typical of serpentinitic substrates.