Mediterranean annual communities of shallow soils

Description (English)

Spring-blooming, summer-desiccated formations of therophytes developed on base-rich, often calcareous, superficial soils of mesomediterranean and thermo-Mediterranean zones of the Mediterranean basin, with annual grasses such as Bromus fasciculatus, Brachypodium distachyon, Lagurus ovatus, Stipa capensis, Parapholis incurva, Hainardia cylindrica, Echinaria todaroana, Desmazeria marina, Desmazeria sicula, Desmazeria zwierleinii, Lamarckia aurea, Narduroides salzmannii, Vulpia unilateralis, Ctenopsis gypsophila, a few perennial grasses (e.g. Koeleria splendens, Dactylis hispanica) and numerous flowering plants, many of them annuals, and a very significant number restricted endemics; among the characteristic species are Silene tridentata, Silene neglecta, Silene sedoides, Paronychia argentea, Arenaria capillipes, Ionopsidium prolongoi, Erophila verna, Astragalus sesameus, Ononis ornithopodioides, Ononis oligophylla, Ononis sieberi, Onobrychis aequidentata, Trigonella monspeliaca, Trigonella polyceratia, Plantago albicans, Plantago coronopus, Plantago afra, Plantago amplexicaulis, Plantago notata, Plantago ovata, Polygala monspeliaca, Convolvulus lineatus, Eryngium dichotomum, Eryngium triquetrum, Eryngium ilicifolium, Hedysarum spinosissimum, Callipeltis cucullaris, Catananche lutea, Daucus aureus, Daucus lopadusanus, Daucus bocconei, Nigella arvensis, Scorzonera laciniata, Lavatera agrigentina, Scabiosa parviflora, Anthemis muricata, Senecio leucanthemifolius, Limonium calcarae, Limonium echioides, Limonium thouinii, Campanula fastigiata, Campanula erinus, Erodium pulverulentum, Iberis fontqueri, Viola demetria, Arabis verna, Brassica souliei, Aster sorrentinii, Asteriscus aquaticus, Echium parviflorum, Bellis annua, Matricaria aurea, Linaria reflexa, Linaria pseudolaxiflora, Linaria amethystea, Linaria huteri, Linaria platycalyx, Linaria saturejoides, Linaria clementei, Filago cossyrensis, Valantia calva, Sedum litoreum, Sedum caeruleum, Sedum stellatum, Saxifraga tridactylites, Hornungia petraea, Parietaria cretica, Biscutella lyrata, Anagallis monelli, Fedia cornucopiae, Evax pygmaea, Jasione penicillata, Andryala ragusina, Allium pallens ssp. siciliense, Allium agrigentinum, Allium chamaemoly. Various combinations of the species above enter in the constitution of numerous distinctive, often ephemeral and very local communities restricted to small surfaces among, or in clearings of, other formations. The more widespread pastures dominated by annual grasses are for the most part subnitrophilous and better classified under unit 34.8.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification