IBEROATLANTICA

Description

Patchy acidophilous grasslands, rich in Iberian and regional endemics, typically including the dominant orophyte Luzula caespitosa, occuring in wind-swept, cryoturbated high slopes and summits.

Protection

Protected under the code 6160 ("Oro-Iberian Festuca indigesta grasslands") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Sedum brevifolium 78%, Avenella flexuosa 60%, Festuca summilusitana 58%, Luzula caespitosa 52%, Neoschischkinia truncatula 48%, Dianthus langeanus 45%, Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium 30%, Solidago virgaurea 29%, Agrostis tileni 26%, Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 24%, Jasione crispa 20%, Conopodium majus aggr. 19%, Helictochloa marginata 18%, Silene ciliata 18%, Teesdalia conferta 18%, Rumex acetosella 18%, Sedum anglicum 17%, Jasione laevis 17%, Plantago alpina 15%, Silene foetida 15%, Calluna vulgaris 15%, Juniperus communis 13%, Lotus corniculatus 11%, Genista sanabrensis 11%, Vaccinium myrtillus 11%, Festuca eskia 11%, Minuartia recurva 10%, Thymelaea coridifolia aggr. 10%, Genista tridentata 8%, Sempervivum vicentei 8%, Phyteuma hemisphaericum 8%, Sedum hirsutum 7%, Plantago holosteum 7%, Gentiana lutea 7%, Armeria ciliata 7%, Ornithogalum concinnum 7%, Rumex suffruticosus 6%, Cryptogramma crispa 6%, Dianthus laricifolius 6%, Campanula herminii 6%, Anarrhinum bellidifolium 6%, Jasione sessiliflora 6%, Silene nutans 5%, Hypochaeris radicata 5%, Juncus trifidus 5% view more...

Indicator species

Sedum brevifolium 0.76, Festuca summilusitana 0.57, Avenella flexuosa 0.55, Luzula caespitosa 0.52, Dianthus langeanus 0.44, Neoschischkinia truncatula 0.41, Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium 0.29, Solidago virgaurea 0.28, Agrostis tileni 0.26, Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 0.21, Jasione crispa 0.2, Teesdalia conferta 0.18, Conopodium majus aggr. 0.18, Silene ciliata 0.17, Sedum anglicum 0.16, Silene foetida 0.14, Rumex acetosella 0.13, Helictochloa marginata 0.12, Genista sanabrensis 0.11, Juniperus communis 0.11, Jasione laevis 0.1, Plantago alpina 0.1, Minuartia recurva 0.1, Calluna vulgaris 0.09, Thymelaea coridifolia aggr. 0.09, Genista tridentata 0.08, Vaccinium myrtillus 0.08, Phyteuma hemisphaericum 0.08, Sedum hirsutum 0.07, Sempervivum vicentei 0.07, Festuca eskia 0.07, Armeria ciliata 0.07, Gentiana lutea 0.06, Rumex suffruticosus 0.06, Cryptogramma crispa 0.05, Ornithogalum concinnum 0.05, Dianthus laricifolius 0.05, Armeria duriaei 0.05, Campanula herminii 0.05, Anarrhinum bellidifolium 0.05, Cytisus oromediterraneus 0.05, Silene nutans 0.04, Jasione sessiliflora 0.04, Plantago holosteum 0.04, Linaria saxatilis 0.04, Armeria transmontana 0.04, Hieracium murorum aggr. 0.04, Scorzoneroides carpetana 0.03, Pilosella galiciana 0.03, Spergula morisonii 0.03 view more...

Phytosociology

Jasiono brevisepalae-Festucetum curvifoliae
Teesdaliopsio confertae-Festucetum eskiae p.p.
Teesdaliopsio confertae-Festucetum summilusitanae

Relations with other habitat types

These grasslands, whose basophilous analogue in the ecoregion is R443, often occur in mosaic with S23y. As explained under R43z, a new level IV unit is created because using R435 (going by the definition of R43511 [“Cantabrian acidophilous stripped grasslands]) would imply the inclusion here of very different Nardus-dominated communities.