S332 Ulex europaeus thickets
Description
Dense thorny scrub on pretty deep, not too acid but superficially leached soils in oceanic lowland areas, never too cold and at most moderately dry in summer
Protection
This habitat is not protected under the EU Habitat Directive.Floristic Composition
Frequent species
Ulex europaeus aggr.
100%,
Erica cinerea
64%,
Calluna vulgaris
43%,
Pteridium aquilinum
42%,
Daboecia cantabrica
41%,
Glandora prostrata
35%,
Brachypodium pinnatum
32%,
Agrostis curtisii
30%,
Erica vagans
30%,
Helictotrichon thorei
29%,
Glandora diffusa
28%,
Potentilla erecta
28%,
Erica umbellata
28%,
Halimium alyssoides
25%,
Ulex minor aggr.
25%,
Cirsium filipendulum
24%,
Rubus ulmifolius
24%,
Dactylis glomerata
21%,
Teucrium scorodonia
19%,
Daphne gnidium
18%,
Lotus corniculatus
18%,
Cistus salviifolius
17%,
Simethis mattiazzii
15%,
Arenaria montana
14%,
Smilax aspera
13%,
Agrostis stolonifera
13%,
Quercus robur
13%,
Erica ciliaris
13%,
Silene uniflora
12%,
Daucus carota
11%,
Koeleria pyramidata
11%,
Festuca rubra
11%,
Polygala vulgaris
10%,
Helictochloa marginata
10%,
Asphodelus albus
10%,
Cistus inflatus
10%,
Jasione montana
10%,
Hypochaeris radicata
10%,
Anthyllis vulneraria
9%,
Cuscuta epithymum
9%,
Agrostis capillaris
9%,
Centaurea nigra
9%,
Potentilla montana
9%,
Rumex acetosa
8%,
Corynephorus canescens
8%,
Serratula tinctoria
8%,
Rubia peregrina
7%,
Cytisus striatus
7%,
Pulicaria odora
7%,
Danthonia decumbens
7%,
Genista triacanthos
7%,
Viola riviniana aggr.
7%,
Genista tridentata
7%,
Erica mackayana
7%,
Cytisus scoparius
7%,
Polygala serpyllifolia
6%,
Pinus pinaster
6%,
Carlina corymbosa
6%,
Erica australis
6%,
Lonicera periclymenum
6%,
Pedicularis sylvatica
6%,
Leucanthemum ircutianum
6%,
Genista hispanica
5%,
Laserpitium prutenicum
5%,
Carex pilulifera
5%,
Neoschischkinia truncatula
5%,
Romulea bulbocodium aggr.
5%
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Indicator species
Ulex europaeus aggr. 0.99,
Erica cinerea 0.46,
Glandora prostrata 0.3,
Daboecia cantabrica 0.28,
Pteridium aquilinum 0.23,
Erica umbellata 0.21,
Brachypodium pinnatum 0.21,
Helictotrichon thorei 0.2,
Glandora diffusa 0.2,
Cirsium filipendulum 0.2,
Agrostis curtisii 0.17,
Daphne gnidium 0.16,
Halimium alyssoides 0.16,
Cistus salviifolius 0.15,
Dactylis glomerata 0.15,
Erica vagans 0.15,
Potentilla erecta 0.13,
Silene uniflora 0.12,
Lotus corniculatus 0.12,
Agrostis stolonifera 0.12,
Teucrium scorodonia 0.11,
Koeleria pyramidata 0.1,
Daucus carota 0.1,
Simethis mattiazzii 0.1,
Quercus robur 0.09,
Erica ciliaris 0.09,
Cuscuta epithymum 0.08,
Arenaria montana 0.08,
Rumex acetosa 0.07,
Cistus inflatus 0.07,
Centaurea nigra 0.07,
Asphodelus albus 0.07,
Genista triacanthos 0.07,
Pulicaria odora 0.07,
Corynephorus canescens 0.07,
Polygala vulgaris 0.06,
Festuca rubra 0.06,
Anthyllis vulneraria 0.06,
Pinus pinaster 0.06,
Hypochaeris radicata 0.06,
Potentilla montana 0.05,
Carlina corymbosa 0.05,
Jasione montana 0.05,
Romulea bulbocodium aggr. 0.05,
Leucanthemum ircutianum 0.05,
Hypericum humifusum 0.04,
Angelica pachycarpa 0.04,
Plantago maritima 0.04,
Laserpitium prutenicum 0.04,
Polygala serpyllifolia 0.04
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Phytosociology
- Angelico pachycarpae-Ulicetum maritimae
- Cisto salviifolii-Ulicetum humilis
- Sileno maritimae-Ulicetum humilis
- Ulici europaei-Ericetum cinereae
- Ulici europaei-Ericetum vagantis
- Ulici humilis-Ericetum vagantis
Relations with other habitat types
Albeit less acidophilous, their role is similar to that of unit S42m in higher areas, occurring as seral communities associated to mesophilous woodlands of the units T1Bx and T1E1, often in mosaic with R541 and rapidly evolving, as a result of the lack of a serious soil degradation, to woody thickets of S353 and S355, bramble acting as the transitional structural plant. More stable stands of gorse scrub (reminiscent of its putative ancestral, pre-Neolithic biotope) are associated with windy coastal promontories in mixed formations recalling some S42x heaths.Regional distribution
Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.
