Rupicolous vegetation of salt-sprayed coastal cliffs of the Atlantic and Mediterranean seaboards of Europe, North Africa and Middle East
Crithmo-Staticetea Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1952
Crithmo-Staticetea Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1952
cri01 | The concept of the Crithmo-Staticetea as presented in this survey contains four orders, of which the Crithmo-Staticetalia encompasses communities of strongly halophilous, species-poor herbaceous vegetation of rocky cliffs at the sea-land interface (both along the Atlantic and Mediterranean seashores). Two other orders characterise coastal vegetation on hard rocky substrates under sea-borne salt influence, occupying ecotonal habitats on the inland border of the salt-spray zone, hence mediating between the Crithmo-Staticetalia and coastal tomillar/phrygana and low-grown garrigue of the Rosmarinetea, the Cisto-Lavanduletea (less frequently) and the Cisto-Micromerietea. The ecotonal communities of this type are species-rich and contain elements of both neigbouring vegetation types as well as a suite of endemics ecologically limited to this vegetation. The Crithmo-Armerietalia was described to accommodate the communities of the Atlantic seaboards, while the Helichrysetalia italici encompasses the Mediterranean group of communities. The last order, the Frankenio-Astydametalia, is an endemic unit of the Macaronesian archipelago. (L. Mucina).