B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 37. 2006 (Budapest, 2006)

Tsakiri, E., Papp, Beáta; Szurdoki, Erzsébet: New records on the bryophytes of Mt Voras, North Greece

- PARENT and DE ZUTTERE (2006) have published the most recent report based on an earlier collection from 1984 containing S. teres (Schimp.) Angstr. (Mt Voras, W-NW Pella Perfecture). The reports of MAZZIARI (1851), JURATZKA (1861) and GEISSLER (1977) are also included in PRESTON (19846) and DULL (1995). Based on the existing publications four Sphagnum species may be connected to the Mt Voras area: Sphagnum subsecundum and S. palustre from "Kali Pediada" (or "Kampos") area, NW of Loutraki and S. contortum from "Mplatsa" area, N of Aridea (Pella Prefecture) (ATHANASIADIS 1977), and S. teres collected W of Loutraki (PARENT and DE ZUTTERE 2006). In addition, there are two reports by GEISSLER (1977) and ZOLLER et al. (1977) from Pella Prefecture, which contain bryophyte information from sites N and NW of Aridea (Mt Voras) at elevations between 1000-1500 m a.s.l. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study area Mt Voras, the third highest mountain in Greece, is situated in central North Greece (Central Macedonia District, Pella Prefecture) running along the northern border of Greece as a natural border with the neighbouring country of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and reaching 2,524 m in altitude (Kaimaktsalan peak). The area is a proposed site for protection in the framework of "Natura 2000" project named "Koryfes Orous Voras" (Dir. 92/43/EEC) (DAFIS et al. 1996). It is a large area of about 39,000 hectares with its landscape dominated by gentle slopes, with the exception of rugged gorges around the Loutraki area. The area was not affected by excessive human population and activities until recently (around the year 2000) when they started to build a network of roads, mainly with the aim of the construction of a nearby ski centre. Geologically, there is a great variability of substrates comprised of limestone, schist, gneiss and ophioliths. There are extensive, densely forested areas that hold a significant asset of timber (mainly Fagus sylvatica subsp. sylvatica forests), and extensive pastures supporting stock raising and deep valleys with a variety of habitat types, such as acidophilous (Luzulo-Fagetum) beech forests; beech forests with Ilex aquifolium and Taxus baccata rich in epiphytes (Uici-Fagion); nitrophilous (Asperulo-Fagetum) beech forests; beech forests with Abies borisii-regis, Juniperus communis formations on calcareous heaths or grasslands; active raised bogs; alkaline fens; residual alluvial forests (Alnion glutinoso-incanae); gallery forests dominated by Salix alba and Populus alba; acidophilous spruce forests (Vaccinio-Piceetca); black pine forests of Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, etc. The area is also significant because of the presence of relict stands of Pinus pence, and some areas with Quercus trojana woods, both vegetation types with a very limited distribution in Greece. Also remarkable is the presence of an active bog in the "Kali Pediada" area, a unique feature for the country (DAFIS et al. 1996). Bogs and fens are rare types of habitat in Greece and they appear in three forms: (i) raised bogs (habitat code 7110, represented with 2 areas in the country); (ii) alkaline fens (habitat code 7230, 12