A new rock-heath association in the Mecsek Mts (South Hungary)

A new rock-heath association (Helleboro odori-Spiraeetum mediae Borhidi, Morschhauser et Salamon-Albert ass. nova) was recently discovered in Central Mecsek Mts which is described and discussed by the authors in the article. It represents a special skirt vegetation developing in contact with the chestnut oakwood on the edge of rocky ridges. It differs from the subcontinental rock-heath (Waldsteinio-Spiraeetum mediae Zólyomi 1936) living in the North Hungarian Middle Range by having a set of Balcanian, Pontic and sub-Mediterranean species occurring in both the shrub and herb layers. Higher indicator values of certain ecological factors, like temperature (T) and soil reaction (R) are indicating the special basiphilous and warm character of the habitat of the new community. SBT-spectrum shows the well-balanced state, the average values of VAL indicate the natural state of the community