Helleno-Balkanic riparian plane forests

English name: Helleno-Balkanic riparian plane forests

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type code G1.381
Bern Convention Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (G1.3)

Description (English)

Platanus orientalis gallery forests of Greek and southern Balkanic watercourses, temporary rivers and gorges; they are distributed throughout the mainland of Greece and its archipelagoes, extending north to Albania, the southern F.Y.R. of Macedonia and the valleys of southern Bulgaria, colonizing poorly stabilised alluvions of large rivers, gravel or boulder deposits of permanent or temporary torrents, spring basins, and particularly, the bottom of steep, shady gorges, where they constitute species-rich communities. The accompanying flora may include Salix alba, Salix elaeagnos, Salix purpurea, Alnus glutinosa, Cercis siliquastrum, Celtis australis, Populus alba, Populus nigra, Juglans regia, Fraxinus ornus, Alnus glutinosa, Crataegus monogyna, Cornus sanguinea, Ruscus aculeatus, Vitex agnus-castus, Nerium oleander, Rubus spp., Rosa sempervirens, Hedera helix, Clematis vitalba, Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris, Ranunculus ficaria, Anemone blanda, Aristolochia rotunda, Saponaria officinalis, Symphytum bulbosum, Hypericum hircinum, Calamintha grandiflora, Melissa officinalis, Helleborus cyclophyllus, Cyclamen hederifolium, Cyclamen repandum, Cyclamen creticum, Galanthus nivalis ssp. reginae-olgae, Dracunculus vulgaris, Arum italicum, Biarum tenuifolium, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata and may be rich in mosses, lichens and ferns, among which Pteridium aquilinum is often abundant. Various associations have been described, reflecting regional and ecological variation in the composition of the undergrowth. The plane tree galleries are particularly well represented along the Ionian coast and in the Pindus; other important local complexes exist in Macedonia, in Thrace, around the Olympus massif, in the Pelion, in the Peloponnese, particularly in the Taygetos, where luxuriant gorge forests reach 1300 metres, in Euboea and in Crete; local, distinctive, representatives occur in other Aegean islands, such as Rhodes, Samos, Samothrace, Thasos. Restriction to gorges is increasingly pronounced towards the south.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Ferns Pteridium aquilinum
Flowering Plants Alnus glutinosa
Flowering Plants Aristolochia rotunda
Flowering Plants Arum italicum
Flowering Plants Biarum tenuifolium
Flowering Plants Brachypodium sylvaticum
Flowering Plants Calamintha grandiflora
Flowering Plants Celtis australis
Flowering Plants Cercis siliquastrum
Flowering Plants Clematis vitalba
Flowering Plants Cornus sanguinea
Flowering Plants Crataegus monogyna
Flowering Plants Cyclamen creticum
Flowering Plants Cyclamen hederifolium
Flowering Plants Cyclamen repandum
Flowering Plants Dactylis glomerata
Flowering Plants Dracunculus vulgaris
Flowering Plants Fraxinus ornus
Flowering Plants Hedera helix
Flowering Plants Hypericum hircinum
Flowering Plants Juglans regia
Flowering Plants Melissa officinalis
Flowering Plants Nerium oleander
Flowering Plants Platanus orientalis
Flowering Plants Populus alba
Flowering Plants Populus nigra
Flowering Plants Ranunculus ficaria
Flowering Plants Rosa sempervirens
Flowering Plants Ruscus aculeatus
Flowering Plants Salix alba
Flowering Plants Salix elaeagnos
Flowering Plants Salix purpurea
Flowering Plants Saponaria officinalis
Flowering Plants Vitex agnus-castus
Species scientific name English common name Species group
Pteridium aquilinum Ferns
Alnus glutinosa Flowering Plants
Aristolochia rotunda Flowering Plants
Arum italicum Flowering Plants
Biarum tenuifolium Flowering Plants
Brachypodium sylvaticum Flowering Plants
Calamintha grandiflora Flowering Plants
Celtis australis Flowering Plants
Cercis siliquastrum Flowering Plants
Clematis vitalba Flowering Plants
Cornus sanguinea Flowering Plants
Crataegus monogyna Flowering Plants
Cyclamen creticum Flowering Plants
Cyclamen hederifolium Flowering Plants
Cyclamen repandum Flowering Plants
Dactylis glomerata Flowering Plants
Dracunculus vulgaris Flowering Plants
Fraxinus ornus Flowering Plants
Hedera helix Flowering Plants
Hypericum hircinum Flowering Plants
Juglans regia Flowering Plants
Melissa officinalis Flowering Plants
Nerium oleander Flowering Plants
Platanus orientalis Flowering Plants
Populus alba Flowering Plants
Populus nigra Flowering Plants
Ranunculus ficaria Flowering Plants
Rosa sempervirens Flowering Plants
Ruscus aculeatus Flowering Plants
Salix alba Flowering Plants
Salix elaeagnos Flowering Plants
Salix purpurea Flowering Plants
Saponaria officinalis Flowering Plants
Vitex agnus-castus Flowering Plants

Other classifications

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 44.711 Helleno-Balkanic riparian plane forests source
For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 G1.381 Helleno-Balkanic riparian plane forests same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 G1.381 Helleno-Balkanic riparian plane forests same
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