Phytoclimatic characterization of lichen habitats in central Italy

Abstract

We reviewed the literature to create an overall description of the lichen flora in the Region of Umbria (central Italy), creating an updated floristic list, identifying the main habitats, determining each habitat's exclusive and common species, subdividing the species into growth forms and phytoclimatical groups and performing a multivariate analysis to evaluate correlations. The current 520 taxa in the Region constitute approximately one fifth of the lichen flora in Italy. The epiphytic lichens in the various types of woods and the saxicolous on mainly calcareous rocks which constitute the most diffuse substratum in the Region's mountains are the greatest numerical presence. The terricolous lichens, which were the least documented taxa, are mostly studied in the subalpine grasslands. Fifteen habitats were identified based on floristic composition, growth forms, and phytoclimatical groups. The statistical analysis revealed a number of similarities and differences among the various habitats. © 2006 J. Cramer in der Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung.