B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 32. 2001 (Budapest, 2001)

Bauer, Norbert: Vascular flora of the hill Strázsa-hegy and its vicinity (Pilis Mts, Hungary)

Studia bot. hung. 32, pp. 125-163, 2001 VASCULAR FLORA OF THE HILL STRÁZSA-HEGY AND ITS VICINITY (PILIS MTS, HUNGARY) N. BAUER Bakony Natural History Museum H-8420 Zirc, Pf. 36, Hungary E-mail: btmz@bakonymuseum.hu The flora of the westernmost hills of the Pilis Mts, which are known for their diverse geological features, is presented in this study. Strázsa-hegy is built of limestone and sandstone, while Tábla-hegy consists of andésite and dacite. Loess and sand characteristically cover their foothills in some localities. The southern foothills and the rolling landscape around them are called Sátorkőpuszta. Located at the "meeting place" of the botanically separated areas Bakonyicum, Matricum and Arrabonicum, the region is also regarded as aphytogeographically transitional area. In the flora of this region plants typically known from continental areas (such as Spiraea media, Acer tataricum, Stipa tirsa, Echium maculatum, Nepeta nuda, Quercus robur and the association Ceraso-Quercetum) occur together with those of somewhat sub-Mediterranean character (Fraxinus ornus, Lathyrus sphaericus, Piptatherum virescens, Crupina vulgaris, etc. and the association Vicio sparsiflorae-Quercetum). Also, the presence of lowland, so-called "Pannonian" species is significant both in the flora and vegetation of the study area (characteristic associations like Festucetum vaginatae and species such as Plantago arenaria, Dianthus serotinus, etc.). Key words: continental, flora, floristical analysis, phytogeography, Pilis Mts, sub-Mediterranean INTRODUCTION In the assessment of the complete plant cover of a larger area it is essential to have a good knowledge of the flora of its smaller units. It is important to explore areas having conspicuously rich flora in some respect. Part of the work is the evaluation and understanding of the long-term changes in the flora and vegetation, which, on the other hand, also requires continual data recording and complementing already existing records. Species thought to be too common or having general occurrence (and thus overlooked) are usually omitted in floristical studies. Critical comments of Gábor Fekete during a recent presentation, on the limitations of our knowledge of certain "common" species were quite awakening for the author. He also noted that the occurrence of the curiosities of the Hungarian flora have been completely known for decades while the frequent ones were almost always missing from publications covering even large areas (FEKETE, ex verb.). Considering these, this paper makes an assessment of the richness of the flora and vegetation of Strázsa and Tábla-hegy - a small area lying in a geographically and phytogeographically transitional region. Studia Botanica Hungarica 32, 2001 Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest