Dragica Purger

Classification of mesic grasslands and their transitions of South Transdanubia (Hungary)

Classification of mesic grasslands and their transitions of South Transdanubia (Hungary) Relevés from meadows and pastures of South Transdanubia (Hungary) are evaluated by clustering and ordination methods. The relevé selection focused on the Arrhenatheretalia order but its transitions towards other types were also included. The groups of relevés are delimited and described according to differential, dominant and constant species. Ecological conditions of the groups were compared using indicator values. Nine groups were distinguished, four of them belonging strictly to the order Arrhenatheretalia. Each alliance of Arrhenatheretalia presented in the study area (Cynosurion, Arrhenatherion) was represented by two groups. Groups from these two alliances are separated along a light gradient, while groups of the same alliance differ in nutrient values. Within Cynosurion, the nutrient-poor group cannot be identified unambiguously as any syntaxa previously known from Hungary. The nutrient-rich Cynosurion meadows are similar to Lolio-Cynosuretum, however, they show a stronger relationship with wet meadows. Within Arrhenatherion, Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum is recognised as a hay meadow of nutrient-rich soils. The other meadow type is similar to Filipendulo-Arrhenatheretum, thus raising syntaxonomical problems. There are transitional groups towards semi-dry andwet meadows, one dynamic phase and one outlier group among the other five clusters.

Critical legal and environmental view on the Ramsar Convention in protection from invasive plant species: an example of the Southern Pannonia region

The emergence and continued expansion of one of the most dangerous causes of biodiversity loss and habitat alteration such as invasive species at some Ramsar wetlands of the Southern Pannonia raise a series of questions of both an environmental as well as a legal character relevant to these fragile ecosystems. The Ramsar Convention provides a set of general instructions and guidelines, but it does not establish an adequate mechanism of sanctions that could be imposed on states or individuals who violate its provisions. Fully aware of the importance of wetlands and their wildlife for a healthy living environment and human welfare, the authors of this paper describe the present conditions of invasive plant species at some Ramsar Sites and briefly analyze the current legal framework for the implementation of the Ramsar Convention. Finally, the authors propose innovative normative solutions that would improve the protection of wetlands and contribute to the suppression and prevention of the presence of invasive species not only in this region, but also worldwide.

Herbaceous periwinkle, Vinca herbacea Waldst. et Kit. 1799 (Apocynaceae), a new species of the Croatian flora

Abstract - Populations of herbaceous periwinkle, Vinca herbacea Waldst. et Kit., were found on April 2007 on Bansko Hill (Baranja, Croatia), which lies on the south-western edge of the range of this Pontic-Pannonian species. Since V. herbacea was included neither in the handbooks for plant identification nor in the current Croatian Flora Database, a new key for the determination of Vinca L. species of Croatia is presented herein. The herbaceous periwinkle should be treated as a critically endangered (CR) species in Croatia, considering the low number of individuals and the small extent of its occurrence in extremely rare habitats at the margin of its distribution. New recordings of some very rare or »data deficient « (DD) taxa of Croatia are also presented here: Scorzonera hispanica L. and Inula germanica L.

Lichenological and bryological curiosities in the Papuk Mt (Croatia)

In the course of continuous botanical surveys of the Papuk Mt (Slavonia, Croatia) two outstanding sites (Sokolina, near Doljanci and Svinjarevac, by Kamenski Vucjak village) with thermophilic-acidophilous forest have been discovered. This type of oak forest is rather rare in Croatia, but it is dominant at these sites, moreover, stands of the peculiar Fagus sylvatica-Sphagnum quinquefarium forests are also present, so these localities are very unique from the aspect of pedology and phytogeography. Despite the fact that the lichenological survey of Papuk Mt started in the middle of the 19th century the knowledge about lichen flora was very poor, probably because the previous studies focused on the epiphytic species. During our field trips in 2015 and 2016 we collected lichens from different types of substrates and recorded at least 54 taxa. Four of them (e.g. Psilolechia lucida, Umbilicaria polyphylla) were not found in Croatia before and 19 species are new for the lichen flora of the Papuk (e.g. Cladonia cervicornis subsp. verticillata, Pertusaria coronata, Trapeliopsis pseudogranulosa). Umbilicaria hirsuta was detected at Sokolina (second occurrence in Croatia) and the rare Lobaria pulmonaria and Lasallia pustulata were also observed at several new places. During non-systematic bryological surveys in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016, we noticed that the phylogenetic diversity is very high at these sites: species of the classes Bryopsida, Jungermanniopsida, Marchantiopsida and Sphagnopsida (in the case of Sokolina, Andreaeopsida too) occurred together within 100 metres. Several extremely rare species, e.g. Cynodontium polycarpon, Dicranum polysetum, Dicranum spurium, Jamesoniella autumnalis, Jungermannia pumila, Lophozia bicrenata, Pleuridium acuminatum, Rhabdoweisia fugax and new taxa of the Croatian moss flora (e.g. Andreaea rothii ssp. rothii, Buxbaumia aphylla) have been found here. The importance of these sites is indisputable from the aspect of taxonomic diversity, however, the presence of the invasive Campylopus introflexus at Sokolina (second occurrence in Croatia) maybe threaten the taxa growing on soil, with spreading to the detriment of the native species. Since both localities represent highly valuable bryological and lichenological hot spots with very special and unique species assemblages, further research and monitoring of the area is strongly recommended.

Bouché’s star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum boucheanum (Kunth) Asch. (Hyacinthaceae), a new species in flora of Croatia

Abstract Populations of Bouché’s star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum boucheanum (Kunth) Asch., fam. Hyacinthaceae) were recorded on Bansko Hill (Baranja, Croatia) in 2007. Since this species has not been previously confirmed in Croatia, it should be treated as a new taxon in the country and included in the Flora Croatica Database. In this paper we present a short morphological description of O. boucheanum and diagnostic morphological characters for differentiation from the related O. nutans L. We suggested O. boucheanum be evaluated as a critically endangered (CR) species of the Croatian flora, considering the small number of individuals and the small extension of its population. The recording of its populations on the edge of the loess cliff in Bansko Hill a part of which belongs to the Important Plant Area and Natura 2000, confirms the significance of this unique habitat in preserving rare and endangered plants.