B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 33. 2002 (Budapest, 2002)

Papp, Beáta: New records of Bryophytes from a saline area of Greece

Studio, bot. hung. 33, pp. 21-24, 2002 NEW RECORDS OF BRYOPHYTES FROM A SALINE AREA OF GREECE B. PAPP Deportment of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1476 Budapest, Pf 222, Hungary; E-mail: pappbea@bot.nhmus.hu This paper reports on a new (Entosthodon hungaricus) and an interesting species (Bryum subapiculatum) to Greece. They were collected in a saline area of central Macedonia. The occurrence of Entosthodon hungaricus in Greece in a salt affected area is not surprising. Its continental-Mediterranean distribution and preference to saline-alkali soil explain the presence of this species on the investigated area. Bryum subapiculatum is a member of the Bryum erythrocarpum complex. The other species of the complex can be found frequently on saline-alkali areas. Key words: Bryum subapiculatum, Entosthodon hungaricus, Greece, new records of bryophytes, saline area INTRODUCTION AND SITE DESCRIPTION During a field trip in March 1999 a saline area was visited in North Greece. The area is the former "Vromolimnes" (Mavrouda and Lantza lakes). It is in Greece (central Macedonia, Prefecture of Thessaloniki), at an altitude of 340 m a.s.l. The lakes are situated in a deep hollow surrounded by Mt Vertiskos (1,103 m a.s.l. northwest), Mt Kerdylia (1,091 m a.s.l., northeast) and Mt Volvi (659 m a.s.l., southwest). Earlier, several halophytic vegetation types were described by BABALONAS et al. (1980) from the area (Suaedetum maritimae balkanicum Micevski 1965, Puccinellietum convolutae Micevski 1965, Hordeo-Trifolietum nigrescentis Babalonas et al. 1980) and this was the first time, when this kind of vegetation type was examined in the continental-Mediterranean transition areas. This plant composition is considered a relict of a former rich coastal vegetation, when the sea invaded the basin from Strymon Gulf through a small, tectonic valley with SE-NW direction during the Pleistocene period as it is concluded in the paleogeographical study of the area (PSILOVIKOS et al. 1978). Then, in the Middle Pleistocene, the Vromolimnes basin became land due to the elevation of the nearby mountain ranges. At its lower part a lake was formed which was later divided into two smaller lakes. This is also verified by the salt content of the samples from the area of the former Lantza lake and by sea fossils found in the basin. Nowadays, in consequence of the draining process finished in 1966 most of the area is used for agriculture and only some fragmented remnants of halophytic