Nomenclature adjustments to neglected syntaxa of the tall-herb hygrophilous communities of the SE-Europe

Abstract

Background and Purpose: During the preparation of a coenological paper concerning the tall-herb vegetation of the Balkans, it emerged that some syntaxa were invalidly described in their original papers, while some other synataxa had been forgotten or considered invalid according to the current phytosociological literature even if they had been validly published in their original papers. The present study deals with the nomenclatural problems of the Rumicetalia balcanici Lakušić 1973, a neglected order of the montane tall-herb vegetation, and those of all its related lower-rank syntaxa.

Materials and Methods: All published papers that treated the nomenclatural issues regarding the tall-herb vegetation in the Balkans were analysed. The nomenclature adjustments were made in accordance with the rules of the Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICPN). The original relevés presented in this paper were carried out using the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological approach.

Results and Conclusions: The nomenclature adjustments made in the paper result in the validation of the order Rumicetalia balcanicae and of four alliances: Rumicion balcanici, Ranunculion serbici, Cicerbition pancici and Petasition doerfleri. The validity of the alliance Cirsion appendiculati Horvat, Pawlowski et Walas 1937 was here confirmed while the name citation Geion coccinei Horvat in Quezel 1969 was here given for the first time. Finally several tall-herbs association were here validated and some others were proposed as new.