Vedran Šegota

New national and regional bryophyte records, 32

Ditrichum gracile was recorded in the locality Samarske stijene in the Velika Kapela Mt for first time in Croatia. Ditrichum gracile occured within forests of common spruce belonging to the community Hyperico grisebachii - Piceetum on the forest floor, forming distinct patches of several square decimetres. The plants were of typical appearance, medium to robust, in reddish green to purplish black, rarely green patches.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 41

Dicranum spurium has been recorded for the first time in Croatia. In neighbouring countries it is known from Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro (Cortini Pedrotti, 1992 ; Sabovljevic´ et al., 2008 ; Papp et al., 2010). In Hungary, it is treated as VU (vulnerable) (Papp et al., 2010), in Montenegro as DD (data-deficient) (Sabovljevic´ et al., 2004), and further in the Balkans as EN (endangered) in Romania (Stefanut¸ & Goia, 2012). Dicranum spurium was found on Papuk Mountain (northeastern Croatia). Ninety-five per cent of Papuk Mountain is covered by forest vegetation, the yearly mean temperature is between 8 and 11C, and annual precipitation varies between 800 and 1300 mm. Almost the whole of the mountain is protected as a Nature Park. The locality in Svinjarevac where D. spurium occurred is beech forest (Fagus sylvatica L.), unique in Croatia, with a dense cover of Sphagnum quinquefarium (Braithw.) Warnst. on the forest floor. The bedrock is quartzite and gneiss, sloping between 35 and 45, and exposed to the northwest. This Fagus-Sphagnum quinquefarium forest was spread over 2.4 ha., with a poorly developed layer of herbaceous plants. Sphagnum platyphyllum was recorded during an extensive survey of spruce forests throughout Croatia. It was found in Stirovaca, a plateau in the central part of Velebit Mountain. The locality for this first record of S. platyphyllum for Croatia is just near the border of the Northern Velebit National Park (The whole Velebit Mountain is protected as a Nature Park). According to Dull et al. (1999), Sabovljevic (2006), and Sabovljevic et al. (2008), the species has not been recorded from Croatia, although it is known to occur in neighbouring countries: Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia (Cortini Pedrotti, 1992 ; Sabovljevic et al., 2008 ; Papp et al., 2010). In many of these countries, it is red listed: as VU (vulnerable) in Hungary, Slovenia, and Serbia (Martincicc, 1992 ; Sabovljevic et al., 2004 ; Papp et al., 2010) and further in the Balkans as NT (near threatened) in Romania (Stefanut & Goia, 2012). This part of Velebit Mountain is characterized by cool and long winters, with 1900 mm average annual precipitation and an average annual temperature of 3.5C. The natural vegetation consists of beech-fir and spruce forests and some of the forest stands are still primeval. Sphagnum platyphyllum occurred in a wet spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) forest, where it grew in dense carpets covering the forest floor and the banks of shallow depressions (ca 100 m2) filled with water. The collection site in Stirovaca is the only known locality for this unique spruce forest community with peat mosses in Croatia. Sphagnum teres was found at two localities in Croatia, in or near the National Park Plitvicka jezera lakes, but in different habitats within the belt of beech-fir forests. The climate is moderately temperate, with 1500 mm annual precipitation and an average temperature of 7.9C. This is the first record of this species for Croatia, although in the neighbouring countries, it is known from Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia, and further to the south-east, in FYR Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece (Papp et al., 2010 ; Sabovljevic et al., 2008). S. teres has been recently recorded as new for Albania (Marka & Sabovljevic, 2011), Bosnia- Herzegovina (Sabovljevic´ et al., 2010) and Montenegro (Martincic, 2006), and is red listed as CR (critically endangered) in Hungary (Papp et al., 2010), and as VU (vulnerable) in Serbia (Sabovljevic et al., 2004). The first locality, Ljeskovacˇke bare, is within the National Park Plitvicka jezera lakes. Here, the species occurred in transitional peat bog belonging to the community Drosero-Caricetum echinatae and occupying an area of ca 1 ha., S. teres was the dominant Sphagnum species. Sphagnum squarrosum Crome, S. palustre L., S. centrale C.E.O.Jensen and S. flexuosum Dozy & Molk. were also relatively abundant. The bog is wet throughout the year, but mostly without open water. Depending on the amount of precipitation, it can be flooded during winter and spring. The bog is not shaded ; it is completely exposed to the sun, but partially overgrown by Molinia coerulea Moench, which is mowed in the management of the Park. Some other species characteristic for this site were Drosera rotundifolia L., Carex echinata Murray, C. lasiocarpa Ehrh., and Menyanthes trifoliata L. The second locality, Vrhovinsko polje, is situated near the eastern border of Plitvicˇka jezera lakes National Park. It is a typical karst field, with the lowest, central part periodically flooded during winter and early spring. It is covered with grassland vegetation of different communities reflecting gradients of water and soil pH. The flora was very rich. In the lowest part of the field were several shallow depressions with a perimeter of 10–20 m overgrown by sedges, mostly Carex vesicaria L. On the edges of these depressions were scattered peat moss hummocks of Sphagnum palustre L., S. capillifolium (Ehrh.) Hedw., and S. subnitens Russow & Warnst. Among them, S. teres (Schimp.) Angstr. also occured, but in much lower abundance.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 48

Andreaea rothii has been recorded for the first time in Croatia. It is a boreo-temperate suboceanic species (Hill et al., 2007) relatively rare in SE Europe, since it is known only from Romania (Ellis et al., 2014d), Slovenia and Serbia (Sabovljevic´ et al., 2008 ; Hodgetts, 2015). The species was found in the Papuk Mountains, situated in the mainly lowland area of NE Croatia. In this region Papuk is the largest and highest mountain range, with peaks between 800 and 900 m a.s.l. They are characterized by high geological diversity dominated by metamorphic rocks, such as different types of schists, as well as granites. The climate is temperate, moderately warm without an explicit dry period. About 60% of the almost totally forested area is covered by different communities of beech forests. The well-developed black patches of A. rothii cover an area ca 2 m× 0.5 m on a steep north-facing cliff on the edge of an acidothermophilic sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg.) forest. The specimens of A. rothii grew on the bare rock with the following bryophyte species: Cynodontium polycarpon (Hedw.) Schimp., Dicranella heteromalla (Hedw.) Schimp., Dicranum scoparium Hedw., Polytrichum piliferum Schreb. ex Hedw. and Rhabdoweisia (cf.) fugax (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. The population is very small with an extremely high risk of extinction, therefore we propose CR as Red List status for the taxon in Croatia. According to the last checklist of the moss flora of Croatia (Sabovljevic´, 2006), only Andreaea rupestris Hedw., collected from just one locality in 1927 (Horvat, 1932 and ZA), was reported for the genus. The locality is very interesting from the point of view of the vegetation of Croatia, because it is within 100 m of the second stand of Fagus sylvatica L.-Sphagnum quinquefarium (Braithw.) Warnst. forest (Alegro et al., 2015). The second occurrence of Dicranum spurium Hedw. (Ellis et al., 2014d) and Rhabdoweisia fugax (Papp et al., 2013) in Croatia are also found here. Another interesting moss is S. capillifolium (Ehrh.) Hedw., that forms small red patches within the thick carpets of S. quinquefarium under the open oulder scree forest in the neighbourhood.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 44

Syntrichia norvegica is a circumpolar arctic- montane species (Smith, 2004), rare at lower altitudes and in southern Europe (Frey et al., 2006). It is known from several south-eastern European countries (Sabovljevic et al., 2008) and now it is recorded for the first time in Croatia. Regarding its conservation status, S. norvegica is red listed in Great Britain (EN), Czech Republic (CR), Slovakia (VU), Bulgaria (NT), Hungary (DD), Romania (VU) and Estonia (VU) (Hodgetts, 2014). It was found in the northern Velebit Mountains, in an area with the most outstanding and extreme karst relief, with steep slopes, perpendicular rocks, screes and deep dolines. The locality is situated in the Pinus mugo Turra belt, but owing to its position in the shaded bottom of a deep, funnel-shaped doline with slopes inclined at more than 70u, the zonal vegetation is replaced by frigoriphilous communities. The main community on the very bottom is Drepanoclado uncinati-Heliospermetum pusillae Surina & Vres 2004, which encompasses many species of cold habitats characterized by long-lasting snow cover, e.g. Saxifraga sedoides L. subsp. prenja (Beck) Beck (glacial relict in the Velebit), Heliosperma pusillum (Waldst. & Kit.) Rchb., Polygonum viviparum L., Myosotis alpestris F.W.Schmidt, Poa alpina L. and Festuca nitida Kit. This community was spread over ca 250 m2 and was bordered by low shrubs of Salix waldsteiniana Willd., which form another frigoriphilous community Salicetum waldsteinianae Beger 1922. In the moss flora, another arctic- montane species, Cyrtomnium hymenophylloides (Huebener) T.J.Kop., is very abundant, and this is the only known locality in Croatia (Blockeel et al., 2009c). Further bryophytes that were present include Sanionia uncinata (Hedw.) Loeske, Orhothecium rufescens (Dicks. ex Brid.) Schimp., Campylium protensum (Brid.) Kindb., Campylophyllum halleri (Hedw.) M.Fleisch., Sciuro-hypnum reflexum (Starke) Ignatov & Huttunen, Platydictya jungermannioides (Brid.) H.A.Crum, Hypnum bambergeri Schimp., Plagiopus oederianus (Sw.) H.A.Crum & L.E.Anderson, and Plagiochilla porelloides (Torr. ex Nees) Lindenb. among others. The population of S. norvegica was vigorous, forming dozens of dense patches of several dm2 on rocks and among other bryophytes and herbs. Plants were typically developed, deep green, with long, reddish leaf points, but capsules were not found.

Additions to the bryophyte flora of Croatia

In the paper 21 new bryophyte species for the flora of Croatia are presented. They originate from three regions in Croatia: Papuk Mt, Velebit Mt and Gorski kotar. For each species exact localities, habitats, and other data concerning conservation status, general distribution and distribution in the Balkans are provided.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 52

Circumpolar boreal-montane moss Buxbaumia aphylla is a new species for Croatia. We have found 58 capsules and 12 setae at the three sites: the smallest population (10 specimens) was located at Sokolina ; at the two other sites B. aphylla was more abundant (Svinjarevac: 29 specimens, Konjska smrt: 31 specimens). Ricciocarpos natans is reported from several localities. It was discovered during extensive surveys of the macrophytic vegetation throughout Croatia. Based on our recent findings, the species occurs in northern and eastern Croatia, mostly in backwaters, or areas subject to inundation, of the large rivers Danube, Drava and Mura. According to our observations, the species in Croatia occupies relatively small and rather shallow eutrophic stagnant waters.

Rare plants of threatened habitats – the Croatian case of Corrigiola litoralis L. (Caryophyllaceae)

Abstract Corrigiola litoralis is the only member of the genus in the Croatian flora. Most available data are more than 50 years old, and include only four localities in Croatia, exclusively in the islands of the Mediterranean region. During a floristic survey of the island of Molat (Northern Dalmatia) we recorded a small population in Zapuntelsko polje, in a damp, shallow depression, seasonally occurring as a temporary pond. Comparison with the existing literature shows that C. litoralis often occurs in Mediterranean temporary ponds and similar globally important and threatened habitats. We strongly believe that careful studies of populations of C. litoralis and other species with similar ecologies are necessary in order to preserve these habitats and therefore propose actions to achieve this goal.

Glaux maritima L. (Primulaceae), a new plant species in SE Europe

Abstract A small population of the circumholoarctic species Glaux maritima L. (Primulaceae) was discovered in the Mediterranean part of Croatia, on the bank of the River Zrmanja. This is the first record of G. maritima in SE Europe, and the third record in the Mediterranean, apart from in Spain and the Asian part of Turkey. It was found on the open riverbank within sub-halophytic vegetation, forming a small population of several dozen erect stems, most probably clonally propagated. The site is characterized by a periodic intrusion of seawater. We propose to classify this species as critically endangered (CR) on a national level due to the small population size and the fragile habitat, which requires active protection and conservation.

Resurrection of the regionally extinct taxon in Croatia – the case of Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link (Poaceae)

Abstract A regionally extinct taxon, Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link subsp. arundinacea H. Lindb., has been rediscovered in the Croatian flora after 78 years. Previously it was known only from two coastal sand dune sites in Northern Dalmatia. The habitat at the locality of Crnika near Lopar on the northern Adriatic island of Rab is destroyed and A. arenaria subsp. arundinacea does not grow there anymore. At the second locality, on the sand dunes of Kraljičina plaža in the vicinity of the town of Nin, A. arenaria subsp. arundinacea was rediscovered and confirmed after 174 years. This is the only population of this taxon in Croatia, counting 48 mature individuals where the psammophylous habitat of Kraljičina plaža is under strong anthropogenic influence. This taxon is now classified as critically endangered (CR) and merits adequate active protection and conservation of its psammophylous habitat.

Phytocoenological analysis of grey alder (Alnus incana L.) forests in the Dinarides of Croatia and their relationship with affiliated communities

This paper provides a comprehensive survey of the results of phytocoenological research into Alnus incana forests from the alliance Alnion incanae in the Dinarides. Stands from the south-eastern Dinar-ides (Alnetum incanae = Oxali-Alnetum incanae) were analyzed and compared with those from the north-western Dinarides (Lamio orvalae-Alnetum incanae). The comparison reveals significant differ-ences in the floristic composition and in the degree of differentiation – and particularly in the presence of the species of the Illyrian floristic geoelement. Focus was placed on the area of western Croatia where a geographic variant of Helleborus dumetorum had previously been de-fined within the association Lamio orvalae-Alnetum incanae. Two of its subtypes, Salix alba and Alnus glutinosa, were determined in our research. The former subtype thrives on occasionally flooded, moist sites, where the floristic composition is dominated by hygrophytes. The latter subtype grows on elevat-ed and drier terraces and is richer in mesophilous species from the surrounding zonal forests. A floris-tic-sociological comparison of the Lamio orvalae-Alnetum incanae with the related syntaxa indicates the presence of about fourty diagnostic species which accentuate its independence and the need to assess it at the level of an independent, regional association within the alliance Alnion incanae.