IBEROATLANTICA

Description

Patchy communities inhabiting crevices and ledges of bare solid calcareous outcrops, rich in species, many endemic. Despite the existence of some geographical, topographical and altitudinal variation surely warranting the recognition of minor subunits, the unit is floristically unified by a number of widespread highly specialised plants successful across all this azonal complex.

Protection

Protected under the code 8210 ("Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Asplenium trichomanes 39%, Erinus alpinus 31%, Asplenium ceterach 27%, Asplenium ruta-muraria 25%, Sedum dasyphyllum 25%, Saxifraga canaliculata 24%, Arenaria grandiflora 23%, Sedum album 19%, Campanula rotundifolia aggr. 19%, Crepis albida 17%, Chaenorhinum origanifolium 16%, Saxifraga paniculata 15%, Galium mollugo aggr. 15%, Globularia repens 14%, Festuca burnatii 13%, Hieracium mixtum aggr. 13%, Cystopteris fragilis aggr. 13%, Asplenium viride 12%, Pimpinella tragium 11%, Anemone pavoniana 11%, Hornungia alpina 10%, Centranthus lecoqii 10%, Campanula adsurgens 10%, Saxifraga trifurcata 10%, Sedum sediforme 9%, Globularia nudicaulis 9%, Campanula arvatica aggr. 8%, Rumex scutatus 8%, Valeriana apula 8%, Saxifraga cuneata 8%, Phagnalon saxatile 8%, Koeleria vallesiana 6%, Festuca hystrix 6%, Agrostis schleicheri 6%, Allosorus acrosticus 6%, Melica ciliata 6%, Matthiola perennis 6%, Leontodon farinosus 6%, Draba dedeana 6%, Carex sempervirens 6%, Campanula erinus 6%, Galium pumilum aggr. 6%, Asperula hirta 6%, Saxifraga babiana 5%, Dryopteris mindshelkensis 5%, Anthyllis vulneraria 5% view more...

Indicator species

Asplenium trichomanes 0.33, Asplenium ceterach 0.26, Erinus alpinus 0.24, Saxifraga canaliculata 0.24, Sedum dasyphyllum 0.24, Asplenium ruta-muraria 0.23, Campanula rotundifolia aggr. 0.17, Arenaria grandiflora 0.16, Sedum album 0.16, Crepis albida 0.15, Saxifraga paniculata 0.15, Globularia repens 0.14, Chaenorhinum origanifolium 0.14, Festuca burnatii 0.13, Galium mollugo aggr. 0.13, Hieracium mixtum aggr. 0.13, Asplenium viride 0.12, Cystopteris fragilis aggr. 0.11, Anemone pavoniana 0.11, Pimpinella tragium 0.1, Saxifraga trifurcata 0.1, Campanula adsurgens 0.09, Valeriana apula 0.08, Saxifraga cuneata 0.08, Globularia nudicaulis 0.07, Campanula arvatica aggr. 0.07, Phagnalon saxatile 0.06, Sedum sediforme 0.06, Agrostis schleicheri 0.06, Festuca hystrix 0.06, Leontodon farinosus 0.06, Allosorus acrosticus 0.06, Matthiola perennis 0.06, Koeleria vallesiana 0.06, Carex sempervirens 0.06, Asperula hirta 0.05, Draba dedeana 0.05, Saxifraga babiana 0.05, Hornungia alpina 0.05, Dryopteris mindshelkensis 0.05, Potentilla nivalis 0.04, Teucrium pyrenaicum 0.04, Polypodium cambricum 0.04, Centranthus lecoqii 0.04, Campanula erinus 0.04, Silene saxifraga 0.04, Dethawia splendens 0.04, Galium pumilum aggr. 0.04, Hieracium amplexicaule aggr. 0.04, Urtica dioica 0.04 view more...

Phytosociology

Anemono pavonianae-Saxifragetum canaliculatae
Campanulo arvaticae-Saxifragetum paucicrenatae
Campanulo hispanicae-Saxifragetum cuneatae
Centrantho lecoqii-Phagnaletum sordidi
Centrantho-Saxifragetum canaliculatae
Crepido-Erinetum
Dethawio tenuifoliae-Potentilletum alchimilloidis
Petrocoptidetum glaucifoliae
Petrocoptidetum grandiflorae
Petrocoptidetum viscosae
Potentillo asturicae-Valerianetum apulae
Saxifragetum trifurcatae
Saxifrago felineri-Dethawietum tenuifoliae
Violo biflorae-Saxifragetum paucicrenatae

Relations with other habitat types

Basophilous, mostly calcicolous analogue of U34x. In the very analytical original EUNIS treatment, these communities are individualised only at level VI as U38171 (“Oro-Cantabrian calcareous cliffs").

U381

Regional distribution

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

U381 Oro-Cantabrian calcareous cliffs