R441 Closed calciphile arctic-alpine grassland

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Description

Dense, mostly umbrophilous grasslands, in high-altitude calcareous slopes weakly cryoturbated and longly covered by snow.

Protection

Protected under the code 6170 ("Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Carex sempervirens 97%, Alchemilla hoppeana aggr. 72%, Thymus praecox 59%, Sesleria caerulea 47%, Anthyllis vulneraria 45%, Arenaria purpurascens 43%, Poa alpina 41%, Helianthemum oelandicum 41%, Agrostis schleicheri 39%, Dethawia splendens 38%, Minuartia verna 38%, Silene acaulis 37%, Armeria cantabrica 35%, Helictotrichon sedenense 31%, Koeleria vallesiana 28%, Saxifraga conifera 27%, Luzula pediformis 27%, Androsace villosa 26%, Pedicularis pyrenaica 25%, Euphrasia salisburgensis 25%, Bistorta vivipara 24%, Gentiana verna 24%, Gentiana occidentalis 24%, Helianthemum urrielense 23%, Sedum atratum 22%, Hepatica nobilis 22%, Anemone pavoniana 22%, Silene ciliata 21%, Arenaria grandiflora 21%, Globularia nudicaulis 19%, Saxifraga paniculata 19%, Ranunculus carinthiacus 18%, Plantago alpina 18%, Helictochloa pratensis 18%, Festuca rubra 18%, Galium pumilum aggr. 17%, Hornungia alpina 17%, Gentianella campestris 16%, Erinus alpinus 15%, Aquilegia pyrenaica aggr. 15%, Hypericum nummularium 14%, Arenaria moehringioides 13%, Hieracium mixtum aggr. 13%, Campanula rotundifolia aggr. 13%, Kobresia myosuroides 13%, Scilla verna 13%, Erigeron alpinus 13%, Draba dedeana 12%, Lotus corniculatus 12%, Helianthemum nummularium 12%, Phyteuma orbiculare 12%, Scabiosa columbaria 11%, Helictotrichon cantabricum 11%, Gypsophila repens 11%, Festuca burnatii 11%, Linum catharticum 10%, Juniperus communis 10%, Sempervivum vicentei 10%, Daphne laureola 9%, Galium pyrenaicum 9%, Festuca glacialis 9%, Biscutella laevigata aggr. 9%, Pimpinella siifolia 9%, Festuca lambinonii 9%, Festuca nigrescens 9%, Euphorbia pyrenaica 9%, Saxifraga oppositifolia 8%, Potentilla crantzii 8%, Oxytropis neglecta 8%, Globularia repens 8%, Erica vagans 8%, Matthiola perennis 8%, Carex parviflora 8%, Ranunculus thora 8%, Veronica aphylla 7%, Vicia pyrenaica 7%, Campanula arvatica aggr. 7%, Armeria pubinervis 7%, Potentilla alchimilloides 7%, Festuca ovina 7%, Myosotis alpestris 7%, Ranunculus alpestris 7%, Asplenium trichomanes 7%, Viola rupestris 7%, Cruciata glabra 7%, Brachypodium pinnatum 7%, Oreochloa confusa 6%, Jurinea humilis 6%, Valeriana montana aggr. 6%, Genista hispanica 6%, Euphrasia alpina 6%, Draba aizoides 6%, Saxifraga hirsuta 6%, Asplenium viride 6%, Pinguicula grandiflora 6%, Seseli montanum 6%, Teucrium pyrenaicum 6%, Cystopteris fragilis aggr. 6%, Trifolium pratense 6%, Festuca picoeuropeana 6%

Phytosociology

  • Anemono pavonianae-Horminietum pyrenaici
  • Drabo lebrunii-Armerietum cantabricae
  • Oxytropido neglectae-Kobresietum myosuroidis
  • Pediculari comosae-Caricetum sempervirentis
  • Pediculari fallacis-Armerietum cantabricae

Relations with other habitat types

These communities may develop either above the level where S23x can occur (where they act as a basophilous analogue of R43z) or in mosaic with such dwarf juniper scrub in north-facing slopes, too snowy for R443. In this latter case, the lowland analogue is R1A3. The highest stands are partially referable to the EUNIS level V unit R4423 [“Cantabrian naked-rush swards"]); the lower and more widespread, to R4415 (“Cantabrian thrift swards").

Regional distribution

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

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Citation: IBEROATLANTICA – Flora and Habitats of the Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion.
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