L. Lőkös szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 26. 1995 (Budapest, 1995)
Dobolyi, Konstantin Z.: Phytosociological studies of the habitat of Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. on Szamár-hegy (Visegrád Mts, Hungary)
Studio bot. hung. 26, pp. 15-24, 1995 PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE HABITAT OF ACHILLEA OCHROLEUCA EHRH. ON SZAMÁR-HEGY (VISEGRÁD MTS, HUNGARY) Z. K. DOBOLYI Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-l 476 Budapest, Pf. 222, Hungary Twenty phytosociological samples were taken on the habitat of Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. in an andésite rocky grassland. The samples were analysed statistically according to the floral elements, life-forms, phytosocological characters, ecological parameters and social behaviour types of the species. The associations of the investigated habitat belong to the Asplenio-Festucion pallentis Zólyomi ass. group. With 7 tables and 1 figure. Key words: Achillea ochroleuca, Asplenio-Festucion pallentis, phytosociology, andésite rocky grassland, Hungary INTRODUCTION Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. is a characteristic species of sandy steppes. It occurs in large numbers in the open andésite rocky grasslands on the southern and western slopes of Szamár-hegy (Visegrád Mts), but it is absent from the very similar places of the Börzsöny and Mátra, and the other rocky grasslands of the Visegrád Mts. Ecological requirements of Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. are: dry, loose, basic soil, open, sunny, undisturbed habitats. In this respect the rocky slopes of Szamár-hegy are similar to sandy steppes. The bed-rocks of Szamár-hegy are andésite and andésite agglomerate. The southern and western sides of the mountain are covered by a mosaic of xerotherm oak forests, scrub forests and andésite rocky grasslands. The size of the grassland spots range from fifty to thousand square metres. These grassland spots are undoubtedly of natural origin, that is they have not been produced by human activity {e.g. deforestation). Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. occurs usually in the open grassland spots on shallow soils where it forms polycormons. The aim of this work was to study the structure of the vegetation supporting Achillea ochroleuca Ehrh. stands, and to determine the phytosociological status as well as the botanical value of these habitats.
