A phytosociological overview on the Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach communities in Italy
Tomaselli, Valeria; Spampinato, Giovanni; Bacchetta, Gianluigi; Minissale, Pietro; Wagensommer, Robert P.; Musarella, Carmelo M.; Costanzo, Emanuele; Sciandrello, Saverio
Phytocoenologia Band 52 Heft 4 (2026), p. 279 - 294
63 references
published: Jul 25, 2026
published online: Aug 12, 2025
manuscript accepted: Jul 27, 2025
manuscript revision requested: Jul 6, 2025
manuscript received: Nov 21, 2024
ArtNo. ESP024005204001, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach dwarf-shrub vegetation occurring in the Italian territory is analysed in this contribution, with the aim of providing an updated syntaxonomic and ecological framework of these communities at national level. A dataset of 105 relevés, from both literature and original data, was subjected to hierarchical clustering by Flexible-β clustering algorithm with the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index. Silhouette index was used to determine the best partition, and the phi coefficient for the identification of diagnostic species. To validate the results of clustering, crosstabs were implemented with the multivariate frequency distribution of the relevés by groups and by ecological qualitative variables. Moreover, a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) with the bioclimatic variables was implemented. Seven groups were identified by cluster analysis, four of which are associations already known in literature, and three described here as new associations, namely: Ferulago geniculatae-Sarcopoterietum spinosi, Loto cretici-Sarcopoterietum spinosi, Pyro spinosi-Sarcopoterietum spinosi. For each association, diagnostic species and ecological validation are provided. As regards the syntaxonomic framework, the analysed communities fall within the Cisto-Micromerietea julianae Oberdorfer 1954 class and Cisto eriocephali-Ericion multiflorae Biondi 2000 alliance, except for the Pyro spinosi-Sarcopoterietum spinosi, included in the Quercetea ilicis Br.-Bl. ex A. Bolòs et O. de Bolòs in A. Bolòs y Vayreda 1950, Oleo-Ceratonion siliquae Br.-Bl. ex Guinochet et Drouineau 1944. Taxonomic references: As concerns the floristic nomenclature, we followed Bartolucci et al. (2024) and Galasso et al. (2024), except for the following three taxa: Helichrysum microphyllum (Willd.) Cambess. subsp. tyrrhenicum Bacch., Brullo & Giusso, that for its axillary leaf bundles should be considered as a subspecies of H. microphyllum instead of H. italicum (Roth) G.Don; Helichrysum archimedeum C.Brullo & Brullo instead of H. stoechas (L.) Moench subsp. barrelieri (Ten.) Nyman, because this last taxon (≡ Helichrysum barrelieri (Ten.) Greuter, = Helichrysum conglobatum Steud., = H. scandens Guss.) with basal leaves 10–20(–25) mm long, lower leaves obovate, and capitula weakly tomentose at the base, is a chamaephytic species typical of rocky coastal habitats (0–50 m a.s.l.) (Brullo & Guarino 2018); Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach, that is considered the valid name instead of Poterium spinosum L. by numerous recent floras and checklists (e.g. Dimopoulos et al. 2013, Pignatti 2017, POWO 2025). Syntaxonomic references: Rivas-Martínez et al. (2011); Biondi et al. (2014); Mucina et al. (2016). Abbreviations: CCA = Canonical Correlation Analysis; ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature
Keywords
dwarf-shrub vegetation • garrigues • vegetation classification • syntaxonomy • Mediterranean area