Phytosociological analysis on some rare and/or endangered species of Gargano National Park (central-southern Italy) and syntaxonomical considerations on the chasmophytic communities of Apulia region

In this study the phytosociological and syntaxonomical features of some rare species of the Gargano area (Campanula garganica, Lomelosia crenata subsp. dallaportae, Inula verbascifolia and Ephedra nebrodensis) is presented. Four new community types are described: Pimpinello tragii - Inuletum verbascifoliae, Aubrieto - Campanuletum garganicae subass. picridetosum spinulosae, "Ephedra nebrodensis and Aurinia sinuata comm." and "Ephedra nebrodensis and Scorzonera villosa subsp. columnae comm'. The former three communities are linked to cliffs or rocky environments while the latter to dry stony grasslands. The combined statistical analysis of our relevés and those published in Bianco et al. (1988) suggests that the subassociaton Centaureetum subtilis scabiosetosum dallaportae Bianco et al. 1988 should be included completely in the Scabiosetum dallaportae. As far as the higher syntaxonomical ranks are concerned the reference to Asperulion garganicae for the chasmophytic communities dominated by Campanula garganica, Lomelosia crenata subsp. dullaportae and Inula verbascifolia is confirmed although the biogeographical and coenological features of this alliance are newly evaluated taking into consideration the other chasmophytic alliances of the surrounding areas. In relation to this, the order Centaureo kartschianae-Campanuletalia pyramidalis which was described invalidly by Trinajstic (1980) is proposed again in a valid form on the basis of the rules of ICPN. Moreover a new alliance named Campanula versicoloris - Dianthion japigici is described for the Mediterranean chasmophytic communities of Salento and Murgia territories. In fact from both a floristic and a biogeographical point of view, the communities belonging to this new alliance differ from those described for the Gargano promontory included in the alliance Asperulion garganicae as well as from those occuring in various sites of Greece and which were included in the alliance Campanulion versicoloris and in the order Onosmetalia frutescentis. © Società Italiana di Scienza della Vegetazione.