Pyrus communis subsp. communis

Functional leaf types in woody plants, often used for physiognomic classification of forest and scrub vegetation, are distinguished based on their morphology, anatomy and life span. Most angiosperm woody plants of the central-European flora have broad deciduous or semi-deciduous leaves with a large specific leaf area. The other leaf types, with rare exceptions (Larix), are perennial and usually called evergreen. Needle-like and scale-like leaves occur in conifers and some species of Ericaceae. Sclerophyllous leaves are flat but have a strongly developed sclerenchyma, which causes their toughness. They are usually small coriaceous leaves with small specific leaf area, adapted to dry climate. Laurophyllous leaves are larger and thinner than sclerophyllous leaves and have less sclerenchyma. In most cases, they are dark green, smooth and shiny. These leaves are adapted to year-round humid climates with mild winters. A few species that are difficult to assign to these categories are classified as “special type”.

The data on functional leaf types were compiled from Chytrý et al. (2020), Štěpánková & Grulich (2020), floras of some other countries, and complemented by original observations.

Categories

• Needle-like
• Scale-like
• Broad deciduous or semi-deciduous
• Sclerophylous
• Laurophyllous
• Other

Data source and citation

Axmanová, I. (2022). Leaf type. – www.FloraVeg.EU.

Further references

Chytrý M., Tichý L., Hennekens S.M., Knollová I., Janssen J.A.M., Rodwell J.S., … Schaminée J.H.J. (2020). EUNIS Habitat Classification: expert system, characteristic species combinations and distribution maps of European habitats. Applied Vegetation Science, 23(4), 648–675. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12519 – Version 2021-06-01: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4812736
Štěpánková P. & Grulich V. (2020) Functional leaf type in woody plants. – www.pladias.cz.

The leaves of different woody plant species have distinct phenological patterns. Most species of Central European woody plants have winter-deciduous leaves, while a small proportion have evergreen (persistent-green) leaves. Semi-deciduous leaves are rare, occurring mainly in cultivated species. The category of winter semi-deciduous leaves includes only those leaves that are at least partly green in winter, but not marcescent leaves, which die in autumn and remain attached to the parent plant in a dry state through the winter (e.g. young individuals of Quercus).

Data on leaf deciduousness were compiled from Klotz et al. (2002), Tavşanoğlu & Pausas (2018), Chytrý et al. (2020), Štěpánková & Grulich (2020), floras of some other countries, and complemented by original observations.

Categories

• Evergreen
• Winter deciduous
• Winter semi-deciduous
• Drought semi-deciduous

Data source and citation

Axmanová, I. (2022). Leaf phenology. – www.FloraVeg.EU.

Further references

Chytrý M., Tichý L., Hennekens S.M., Knollová I., Janssen J.A.M., Rodwell J.S., … Schaminée J.H.J. (2020). EUNIS Habitat Classification: expert system, characteristic species combinations and distribution maps of European habitats. Applied Vegetation Science, 23(4), 648–675. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12519 – Version 2021-06-01: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4812736
Klotz, S., Kühn, I. & Durka, W. (2002). BIOLFLOR – Eine Datenbank zu biologisch-ökologischen Merkmalen der Gefäßpflanzen in Deutschland. Schriftenreihe für Vegetationskunde, 38, 1–334.
Štěpánková P. & Grulich V. (2020). Leaf deciduousness in woody plants. – www.pladias.cz.
Tavşanoğlu, Ç., & Pausas, J. (2018). A functional trait database for Mediterranean Basin plants. Scientific Data, 5, 180135. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2018.135

The months of the beginning and end of flowering across Europe are given. The data were compiled from Kaplan et al. 2019, French Flora database and Guarino et al. 2019. For each species, we provide a maximal flowering range across available sources.

Data source and citation

Axmanová, I. (2022). Flowering period. – www.FloraVeg.EU.

Further references

Guarino, R., La Rosa, M. & Pignatti, S. (Eds) (2019). Flora d'Italia, volume 4. Bologna: Edagricole.
GreekFlora.gr. Available at https://www.greekflora.gr/ [accessed June 2020]
French Flora database (baseflor), project of Flore et végétation de la France et du Monde: CATMINAT. Available at http://philippe.julve.pagesperso-orange.fr/catminat.htm [accessed June 2020]
Kaplan Z., Danihelka J., Chrtek J. Jr., Kirschner J., Kubát K., Štěpánek J. & Štech M. (eds) (2019) Klíč ke květeně České republiky [Key to the flora of the Czech Republic]. Ed. 2. – Academia, Praha.
Ladouceur, E., Bonomi, C., Bruelheide, H., Klimešová, J., Burrascano, S., Poschlod, P., … Jiménez-Alfaro, B. (2019). The functional trait spectrum of European temperate grasslands. Journal of Vegetation Science, 30(5), 777–788. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12784
Săvulescu, T. (Ed.) (1952–1976). Flora Republicii Populare Române – Flora Republicii Socialiste România. Vols 1–13. București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Române, Academia Republicii Socialiste România.