Belső-Somogy homoki gyertyános-tölgyesei, (Fraxino pannonicae-Carpinetum Soó et Borhidi in Soó 1962)

Abstract

I present the results of a phytosociological analy-sis of 50 samples of oak-hornbeam forests on sand (Fraxino pannonicae-Carpinetum), which grow in the southwestern part of Hungary in Inner Somogy. The habitat of these forests is un-der slight influence of groundwater, which manifests itself in the species composition of these forests. The forests differ sharply from the oak-hornbeam forests (Helleboro dumetorum-Carpin-etum) growing on loess in the neighbouring Zselic. The species composition somewhat resembles that of hardwood gallery for-ests on sand (Knautio drymeiae-Ulmetum), beech woods on sand (Leucojo verno-Fagetum), and oak-hornbeam forests along the Dráva River (Veronico montanae-Carpinetum). The Fagetalia elements in its understorey (Actaea spicata, Astran-tia major, Dentaria enneaphyllos, Oxalis acetosella, etc.) are probably relics of the Beech I. phase (2500 and 800 B.C.) of the Holocene, when the climate was more humid and less ex-treme. It also hosts species typical of the Aremonio-Fagion alli-ance (pl. Carex strigosa, Cyclamen purpurascens, Doronicum orientale, Erythronium dens-canis, Knautia drymeia, Polysti-chum setiferum, Primula vulgaris, Ruscus aculeatus, Tamus communis, Tilia tomentosa), whereby it exhibits a moderate sub-Mediterranean character.