SYNTAXONOMICAL SURVEY OF GERANIO-CARDAMINETALIA HIRSUTAE: SEMI-NATURAL THEROPHYTIC VEGETATION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

A syntaxonomical scheme, including geographical range and synonymies of all the associations ascribed to Geranio-Cardaminetalia hirsutae, is presented. This order, framed into the class Stellarietea mediae, groups sciaphilo-subnitrophilous annual vegetation of natural and semi-natural habitats, commonly occurring on substrata rich in organic matter, accumulating on stone-walls, shaded rocks and initial soils, often under the canopy of shrubs and trees. Twelve new associations from Sardinia, Sicily, Egean islands and Israel are here described for the first time.