Perennial (sub)xerophilous ruderal vegetation of the temperate and submediterranean regions of Europe
Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer et al. in Tx. ex von Rochow 1951
Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer et al. in Tx. ex von Rochow 1951
art01 | The Artemisietea vulgaris unites ruderal plant communities composed of short-lived perennial and hapaxanthic pauciennial species (with considerable admixture of seasonally appearing winter or summer annuals). These communities (especially the Onopordetalia acanthii) occur in broad geographic (macroclimatic) ecotones between the nemoral (forest deciduous) forest-steppe (e.g. in the Pannonian Basin), dry steppic enclaves of the Western and Central Europe (here associated with particularly dry soils). Within the forest-steppe and steppe zones they are also associated with dry and disturbed nutrient-rich soils, usually in places enjoying high insolation and local warm microclimate ('Polygono-Artemisietea austriacae'). The communities of this class are a common sight in the submediterranean regions (with a pronounced summer-dry period) while in the Mediterranean proper these communities occur at higher elevation (Carthametalia lanati), associated with intensively used (disturbed) grasslands. We classify also the semi-ruderal (heavily disturbed) ruderal grasslands (Agropyretalia intermedio-repentis and Piptathero milliacei-Dittrichietalia viscosi) within the Artemisietea vulgaris rather than recognised as within a class in its own right. (L. Mucina).