Macaronesian heath
Description (English)
Shrubby vegetation on thin soils in the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands, colonising pyroclastic debris, lava, rock outcrops and landslips, sometimes cyclically renewed by further disturbance or seral to a forest. Floristically diverse between and within the archipelagos.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code S43 |
|---|---|
| Relation to | Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive) |
| Relation to | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableIndicator species
Diagnostic species
Constant species
Dominant species
Flowering Plants
Thymus caespititius
Flowering Plants
Tolpis azorica
Flowering Plants
Holcus rigidus
Flowering Plants
Vaccinium cylindraceum
Flowering Plants
Leontodon filii
Flowering Plants
Daboecia azorica
Flowering Plants
Hypericum foliosum
Ferns
Blechnum spicant
Ferns
Lycopodiella cernua
Flowering Plants
Erica scoparia
Flowering Plants
Platanthera micrantha
Flowering Plants
Deschampsia foliosa
Conifers
Juniperus brevifolia
Flowering Plants
Leontodon rigens
Flowering Plants
Lotus pedunculatus
Diagnostic species occur concentrated in the habitat in question, but are absent or rare in other habitats. They are good positive indicators of the habitat, but they do not need to occur in every location of the habitat.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Thymus caespititius | Flowering Plants | |
| Tolpis azorica | Flowering Plants | |
| Holcus rigidus | Flowering Plants | |
| Vaccinium cylindraceum | Flowering Plants | |
| Leontodon filii | Flowering Plants | |
| Daboecia azorica | Flowering Plants | |
| Hypericum foliosum | Flowering Plants | |
| Blechnum spicant | Ferns | |
| Lycopodiella cernua | Ferns | |
| Erica scoparia | Flowering Plants | |
| Platanthera micrantha | Flowering Plants | |
| Deschampsia foliosa | Flowering Plants | |
| Juniperus brevifolia | Conifers | |
| Leontodon rigens | Flowering Plants | |
| Lotus pedunculatus | Flowering Plants |
Flowering Plants
Calluna vulgaris
Flowering Plants
Potentilla erecta
Ferns
Blechnum spicant
Flowering Plants
Erica scoparia
Flowering Plants
Holcus rigidus
Flowering Plants
Agrostis castellana
Flowering Plants
Vaccinium cylindraceum
Flowering Plants
Lotus pedunculatus
Flowering Plants
Thymus caespititius
Flowering Plants
Danthonia decumbens
Flowering Plants
Anthoxanthum odoratum
Flowering Plants
Tolpis azorica
Conifers
Juniperus brevifolia
Flowering Plants
Hypochaeris radicata
Flowering Plants
Deschampsia foliosa
Flowering Plants
Carex pilulifera
Constant species occur frequently in the habitat, but they may include generalist species that are also frequent in other habitats.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Calluna vulgaris | Flowering Plants | |
| Potentilla erecta | Flowering Plants | |
| Blechnum spicant | Ferns | |
| Erica scoparia | Flowering Plants | |
| Holcus rigidus | Flowering Plants | |
| Agrostis castellana | Flowering Plants | |
| Vaccinium cylindraceum | Flowering Plants | |
| Lotus pedunculatus | Flowering Plants | |
| Thymus caespititius | Flowering Plants | |
| Danthonia decumbens | Flowering Plants | |
| Anthoxanthum odoratum | Flowering Plants | |
| Tolpis azorica | Flowering Plants | |
| Juniperus brevifolia | Conifers | |
| Hypochaeris radicata | Flowering Plants | |
| Deschampsia foliosa | Flowering Plants | |
| Carex pilulifera | Flowering Plants |
Flowering Plants
Calluna vulgaris
Flowering Plants
Erica tetralix
Flowering Plants
Thymus caespititius
Ferns
Pteridium aquilinum
Flowering Plants
Erica scoparia
Flowering Plants
Erica arborea
Flowering Plants
Daboecia azorica
Dominant species are those that often reach high cover in the habitat, thus determining the habitat physiognomy.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Calluna vulgaris | Flowering Plants | |
| Erica tetralix | Flowering Plants | |
| Thymus caespititius | Flowering Plants | |
| Pteridium aquilinum | Ferns | |
| Erica scoparia | Flowering Plants | |
| Erica arborea | Flowering Plants | |
| Daboecia azorica | Flowering Plants |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same |
| European Red List of Habitats | F4.3 | Macaronesian heath | same |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | F4.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 31.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 31.3 | Macaronesian heaths | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 31.3 | same | ||
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 31.3 | same | ||
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 31.3 | same | ||
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989 | 31.3 | same |
