S23z Juniperus sabina scrub

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Description

Juniperus sabina-dominated patchy scrub in calcareous areas under strongly continental conditions, prone to both summer-drought and severe winter-frost. It is associated to very exposed, windswept, snow-free areas at high elevations, whereas it descends in some valleys of the southern versant of the Cantabrian mountains particularly well isolated from the ocean, like Babia.

Protection

Protected under the code 4060 ("Alpine and Boreal heaths") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Juniperus sabina 100%, Teucrium chamaedrys 70%, Juniperus thurifera 51%, Berberis vulgaris aggr. 49%, Koeleria vallesiana 47%, Juniperus communis 38%, Anthyllis vulneraria 36%, Helianthemum apenninum 34%, Brachypodium pinnatum 32%, Festuca rubra 28%, Festuca hystrix 28%, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 26%, Helleborus foetidus 26%, Genista scorpius 26%, Asperula cynanchica 23%, Glandora diffusa 23%, Pimpinella tragium 23%, Daphne laureola 23%, Carlina vulgaris 23%, Thymus mastichina 21%, Helianthemum oelandicum 21%, Saxifraga canaliculata 21%, Bromus erectus aggr. 19%, Sanguisorba minor 19%, Rosa canina aggr. 19%, Prunus spinosa 17%, Festuca burnatii 17%, Hornungia alpina 17%, Quercus faginea 15%, Cytisus oromediterraneus 15%, Xeranthemum inapertum 15%, Santolina ericoides 15%, Rhamnus alpina 15%, Arenaria erinacea 15%, Erysimum duriaei aggr. 15%, Arenaria grandiflora 15%, Helictochloa bromoides 13%, Helictochloa pratensis 13%, Achillea odorata 13%, Sempervivum vicentei 13%, Coronilla minima 13%, Ligusticum lucidum 13%, Sedum album 13%, Sorbus aria 13%, Rosa pendulina 13%, Dactylis glomerata 13%, Seseli libanotis 13%, Seseli montanum 13%, Aristolochia paucinervis 13%, Viburnum lantana 13%, Origanum vulgare 13%, Phleum pratense aggr. 11%, Ononis spinosa 11%, Matthiola perennis 11%, Helleborus viridis 11%, Bupleurum ranunculoides 11%, Gentiana verna 11%, Dianthus pungens 11%, Sedum forsterianum 11%, Conopodium majus aggr. 11%, Bombycilaena erecta 9%, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria 9%, Aethionema saxatile 9%, Teucrium pyrenaicum 9%, Asperula aristata 9%, Saxifraga granulata 9%, Seseli cantabricum 9%, Saxifraga conifera 9%, Saxifraga paniculata 9%, Clinopodium vulgare 9%, Helichrysum stoechas 9%, Galium parisiense 9%, Pilosella officinarum 9%, Globularia repens 9%, Jurinea humilis 9%, Festuca lambinonii 9%, Melica ciliata 9%, Poa alpina 6%, Sesleria caerulea 6%, Geum sylvaticum 6%, Teucrium capitatum 6%, Arabis alpina 6%, Draba dedeana 6%, Galium pumilum aggr. 6%, Trifolium campestre 6%, Festuca trichophylla 6%, Digitalis parviflora 6%, Hypochaeris radicata 6%, Prunus mahaleb 6%, Brachypodium sylvaticum 6%, Astragalus sempervirens 6%, Myosotis alpestris 6%, Rosa micrantha 6%, Medicago sativa 6%, Campanula arvatica aggr. 6%, Saponaria ocymoides 6%, Arabis scabra 6%, Cerastium arvense 6%, Jacobaea minuta 6%, Inula montana 6%, Scabiosa columbaria 6%

Phytosociology

  • Lithodoro diffusae-Juniperetum sabinae

Relations with other habitat types

A new unit is created since EUNIS only recognises this scrub at level V, lumping it at level IV with a number of very heterogenous juniper communities. This scrub occurs often in mosaic with R1Hx.

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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