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This article deals with a phytosociological survey of marcescent Portuguese oak (Quercus broteroi) forests in southern Portugal, and presents the results of an analysis of 56 relevés, combining Braun-Blanquet's methodology with hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward's Hierarchical Clustering, based on Bray-Curtis distance). From these results, a new temporihygrophilous Portuguese oak forest association is described. Largely thermomediterranean, upper dry to subhumid, Ulici welwitschiani-Quercetum broteroi occurs on limestone soils within the Coastal Lusitan-Andalusian Province. Its high conservation value - mainly due to its rarity and floristic structure - supports this forest's integration in Habitat 9240 (Annex B-I from Council Directive 92/43/EEC) in order to ensure its preservation. Based on the results, new biogeographic borders for the Ribatagan-Sadensean Sector are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant variability in the southern Iberian Peninsula consists of around 3500 different taxa due to its high bioclimatic, geographic, and geological diversity. The deciduous forests in the southern Iberian Peninsula are located in regions with topographies and specific bioclimatic conditions that allow for the survival of taxa that are typical of cooler and wetter bioclimatic regions and therefore represent the relict evidence of colder and more humid paleoclimatic conditions. The floristic composition of 421 samples of deciduous forests in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula were analyzed. The ecological importance index (IVI) was calculated, where the most important tree species were Quercuspyrenaica, Aceropalus subsp. Granatensis, and Corylusavellana. These species are uncommon in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula, forming forests of little extension. An analysis of the vertical distribution of the species (stratum) shows that the majority of the species of stratum 3 (hemicriptophics, camephytes, geophites, and nanophanerophytes) are characteristic of deciduous forests, and their presence is positively correlated with high values of bioclimatic variables related to humidity and presence of water in the soil (nemoral environments), while they are negatively correlated with high values of bioclimatic variables related to high temperatures, evapotranspiration, and aridity. This work demonstrates that several characteristic deciduous forest taxa are more vulnerable to disappearance due to the loss of their nemoral conditions caused by gaps in the tree or shrub canopy. These gaps lead to an increase in evapotranspiration, excess insolation, and a consequent loss of water and humidity in the microclimatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrophilous communities dominated by Glebionis coronaria and Glebionis discolor in the European Mediterranean area were studied. The nomenclature was corrected according to the current taxonomy, following the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICPN). The statistical analysis revealed six new associations and one subassociation, with four in Spain, one in Greece, and one in Italy. Additionally, a subassociation of high relevance due to its endemic character was identified. These grasslands exhibit requirements for organic matter and other edaphic nutrients that are closer to those of Malva neglecta communities than to those of Hordeum murinum subsp. leporinum . We confirmed the published syntaxon with the rank of Resedo albae-Glebionenion coronariae suballiance and its subordination to the Malvion neglectae alliance, and we established the type association for this suballiance. Sisimbrietalia officinalis J. Tüxen in Lohmeyer et al. 1962 em. Rivas-Martínez, Báscones, T. E. Díaz, Fernández-González & Loidi 1991. Stellarietea mediae Tüxen, Lohmeyer & Preising ex von Rochow 1951.

Knowledge on alien species is needed nowadays to protect natural habitats and prevent ecological damage. The presence of new alien plant species in Italy is increasing every day. Calabria, its southernmost region, is not yet well known with regard to this aspect. Thanks to fieldwork, sampling, and observing many exotic plants in Calabria, here, we report new data on 34 alien taxa. In particular, we found three new taxa for Europe ( Cascabela thevetia , Ipomoea setosa subsp. pavonii , and Tecoma stans ), three new for Italy ( Brugmansia aurea , Narcissus ' Cotinga ', and Narcissus ' Erlicheer '), one new one for the Italian Peninsula ( Luffa aegyptiaca ), and 21 new taxa for Calabria ( Allium cepa , Asparagus setaceus , Bassia scoparia , Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris , Bidens formosa , Casuarina equisetifolia , Cedrus atlantica , Chlorophytum comosum , Cucurbita maxima subsp. maxima , Dolichandra unguis-cati , Fagopyrum esculentum , Freesia alba , Juglans regia , Kalanchoë delagoënsis , Passiflora caerulea , Portulaca grandiflora , Prunus armeniaca , Prunus dulcis , Solanum tuberosum , Tradescantia sillamontana , and Washingtonia filifera ). Furthermore, we provide the first geolocalized record of Araujia sericifera , the confirmation of Oxalis stricta , and propose a change of status for four taxa ( Cenchrus setaceus , Salpichroa origanifolia , Sesbania punicea , and Nothoscordum gracile ) for Calabria. The updated knowledge on the presence of new alien species in Calabria, in Italy and in Europe could allow for the prevention of other new entries and to eliminate this potential ecological threat to natural habitats.

The study of the forest in rainy environments of the Dominican Republic reveals the presence of four types of vegetation formations, clearly differentiated from each other in terms of their floristic and biogeographical composition, and also significantly different from the rainforests of Cuba. This leads us to propose two new alliances and four plant associations located in northern mountain areas exposed to moisture-laden winds from the Atlantic: All. Rondeletio ochraceae - Clusion roseae (Ass. Cyatheo furfuracei - Prestoetum motanae ; Ass. Ormosio krugii - Prestoetum montanae ); and All. Rondeletio ochraceae - Didymopanion tremuli (Ass. Hyeronimo montanae - Magnolietum pallescentis ; Hyeronimo dominguensis - Magnolietum hamorii ). We pay special attention to the description of cloud forest types, since they have a high rate of endemic species, and therefore there are endemic habitats, which need special protective actions. Therefore, we apply the Shannon diversity index to characteristic, companion, non-endemic, and endemic species. As result, the association Ormosio krugii - Prestoetum montanae has a Shannon_T = 2.4 and a value of Shannon_E = 0, whereas the other 3 associations have a better conservation status with Shannon values in all cases > 0: This is due to a worse conservation status of the Eastern Cordillera, in comparison with the Central Cordillera and Sierra de Bhaoruco. Due to human activity, some areas are very poorly conserved, as evidenced by the diversity index and the presence of endemic tree and plant elements. The worst conserved in terms of the relationship between characteristic plants vegetation (cloud forest) in areas with high rainfall are in the Dominican Republic, along with its floristic diversity and state of conservation. This study has made it possible to significantly increase the botanical knowledge of this important habitat.