IBEROATLANTICA

Description

Mostly continuous short grasslands on stony, poorly developed soils in the highest siliceous massifs, mainly at truly alpine levels.

Protection

Protected under the code 6150 ("Siliceous alpine and boreal grasslands") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Juncus trifidus 100%, Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 76%, Luzula spicata 68%, Festuca summilusitana 65%, Jasione crispa 57%, Silene ciliata 57%, Agrostis rupestris 54%, Avenella flexuosa 54%, Armeria cantabrica 51%, Oreochloa elegans 46%, Festuca eskia 46%, Saxifraga moschata 43%, Sedum brevifolium 38%, Sedum candolleanum 32%, Vaccinium uliginosum 27%, Minuartia recurva 24%, Helictotrichon sedenense 24%, Alchemilla saxatilis 24%, Alchemilla transiens 24%, Thymus praecox 19%, Alchemilla alpina 19%, Luzula caespitosa 16%, Poa cenisia 16%, Vaccinium myrtillus 16%, Sempervivum arachnoideum 16%, Sedum anglicum 14%, Antennaria dioica 14%, Cryptogramma crispa 14%, Jasione laevis 14%, Alchemilla hoppeana aggr. 11%, Saxifraga pentadactylis 11%, Poa alpina 11%, Carex parviflora 8%, Pilosella officinarum 8%, Teesdalia conferta 8%, Silene acaulis 8%, Carex atrata 5%, Sedum alpestre 5%, Sempervivum vicentei 5%, Calluna vulgaris 5%, Androsace cantabrica 5%, Carex pyrenaica 5%, Euphrasia hirtella 5%, Murbeckiella boryi 5%, Nardus stricta 5%, Neoschischkinia truncatula 5%, Gnaphalium supinum 5%, Phyteuma hemisphaericum 5%, Gentiana verna 5%, Euphrasia salisburgensis 5%, Euphrasia minima 5%, Juniperus communis 5%, Valeriana montana aggr. 5% view more...

Indicator species

Juncus trifidus 1, Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 0.74, Luzula spicata 0.67, Jasione crispa 0.56, Festuca summilusitana 0.55, Silene ciliata 0.54, Agrostis rupestris 0.54, Oreochloa elegans 0.46, Avenella flexuosa 0.45, Armeria cantabrica 0.45, Saxifraga moschata 0.43, Festuca eskia 0.38, Sedum candolleanum 0.32, Vaccinium uliginosum 0.27, Sedum brevifolium 0.26, Alchemilla transiens 0.24, Alchemilla saxatilis 0.24, Minuartia recurva 0.23, Helictotrichon sedenense 0.21, Alchemilla alpina 0.19, Poa cenisia 0.16, Sempervivum arachnoideum 0.16, Vaccinium myrtillus 0.14, Cryptogramma crispa 0.13, Antennaria dioica 0.13, Saxifraga pentadactylis 0.11, Poa alpina 0.08, Thymus praecox 0.08, Luzula caespitosa 0.08, Sedum anglicum 0.08, Carex parviflora 0.08, Jasione laevis 0.07, Teesdalia conferta 0.07, Alchemilla hoppeana aggr. 0.07, Carex pyrenaica 0.05, Sedum alpestre 0.05, Carex atrata 0.05, Androsace cantabrica 0.05, Gnaphalium supinum 0.05, Murbeckiella boryi 0.05, Valeriana montana aggr. 0.05, Euphrasia hirtella 0.04, Euphrasia minima 0.04, Gentiana verna 0.04, Sempervivum vicentei 0.03, Phyteuma hemisphaericum 0.03, Juniperus communis 0.03, Cerastium cerastoides 0.03, Atocion rupestre 0.03, Polypodium vulgare 0.03 view more...

Phytosociology

Armerio cantabricae-Juncetum trifidi
Junco trifidi-Oreochloetum blankae

Relations with other habitat types

Interpretable as an acidophilous analogue of the highest components of R441 (i.e., those at levels too high even for S23 scrubs), these communities can reach lower elevations in cool, rocky ridges within S223. They correspond to EUNIS level V unit R4336 (“Cantabrian Oreochloa blanka swards").

Regional distribution

Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.

R433 Alpigenous acidophilous grassland