The Association Erysimo - Trifolietum Micev. 1977 in Bulgaria and Some Remarks on its Mediterranean Character

We endeavor to enlarge the knowledge about Bulgarian vegetation diversity. Data on seminatural grasslands containing 344 relevés, collected in Southeast Bulgaria were analyzed by the combine method, using TWIN-SPAN and the Cocktail method. The Erysimo diffusii-Trifolietum angustifolii association and the alliance Trifolion cherleri were established for the first time in Bulgaria. So far the presence of this association was known for Macedonia. The aims of our study are to present more data about the Erysimo-Trifolietum in Bulgaria and to make some comments about its affiliation to Helianthemetea guttati. The association is characterized ecologically and floristically. Analysis of the floristic elements shows that the most numerous are sub-Mediterranean species. Analysis of the life forms shows that these communities are hemicryptophyte-therophytic. A review of syntaxonomical systems and association assignment to higher syntaxa were made. According to current European vege-tation surveys the association should be related to class Helianthemetea guttati. Our results reveal an intermediate character of the studied vegetation - closed dry grasslands, with distinct presence of Festuco-Brometea species with a high percent of therophytes and Mediterranean floristic elements related to Helianthemetea guttati as well.