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The aim of this study is to provide new syntaxa for the Italian vegetation checklist. For the classRhamno–Pruneteawhich includes the classPaliureteathe new allianceRhamno saxatilis–Paliurion spinae-christiis described, that is included in the orderPaliuretalia spinae-christiwith a central-western Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean distribution. Otherwise, the more thermophilousPaliurus spina-christivegetation is included in the new suballiance named asOleo sylvestris–Paliurenion spinae-christiwithin the allianceOleo–Ceratonionof the classQuercetea ilicis. For the classTrifolio–Geranietea medii, a new alliance namedHyperico calabricae–Asphodelion macrocarpiis proposed here. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the article is the syntaxonomic interpretation of hyperhalophilous woody or semi-woody vegetation withHalocnemumM. Bieb. along the coasts of the Mediterranean Basin. For this area, the two species ofHalocnemum, H. strobilaceum(Pall.) M. Bieb. andH. cruciatum(Forssk.) Tod. are identified; their morphological characteristics, synonymy and distribution are here described. The study carried out of particular aspects of the plant morphology and the micromorphological characteristics of the seeds collected from different places in the Mediterranean allows to better differentiate the two species. Vegetation studies already done in many communities of the Mediterranean by several authors threw into great confusion because onlyH. strobilacemhas been recognized as a dominant species. As regards the syntaxonomic analyses of the vegetation, the authors refer to the proposals already made by various scientists for the vegetation of inland salt basins of Eurasia and the Irano-Anatolian area, who suggested the classesKalidietea foliateandHalocnemetea strobilaceiirano-anatolica, respectively. Conversely, in the Mediterranean Basin, the vegetation study is present only in coastal areas where it is considerably impoverished in the number of species. Therefore, the authors propose to include hyperhalophilous, woody and fruticose vegetation in the classSarcocornietea fruticosae.However, the phytosociological and ecological diversity is highlighted proposing the orderHalocnemetalia cruciatiin which both the allianceHalocnemion strobilacei, for middle Eastern Europe, and the allianceHalocnemion cruciati, for North Africa with penetrations in the Western and Eastern Europe up to the Middle East coast, are included. This new interpretation has required the correction of the names of two associations (Frankenio corymbosae–Halocnemetum cruciatiandZygophylloalbi–Halocnemetumcruciati) and the proposal of two new associationsArthrocnemo machrostachyi–Halocnemetum cruciatiandHalocnemo cruciati–Sarcocornietum fruticosae.A further proposal concerns the addition of the allianceLimoniastrion monopetali, previously included in the orderLimonietalia, in the orderHalocnemetalia cruciati. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]