A new mesophilous turkey oak woodland association from Laga Mts. (Central Italy).

The present paper aims at describing the Quercus cerris-dominated woodlands of the Laga mountains (central Apennines) in both the synecological and syntaxonomical way. Species composition and abundance, together with structural and abiotic parameters were recorded in 33 relevés distributed throughout the Laga massif. A new association of Quercus cerris woodlands, named Listero ovatae-Quercetum cerridis, is here proposed. The ecology and syn-chorology of this association are outlined. In syntaxonomical terms Listero-Quercetum cerridis behaves as an intermediate between Fagetalia sylvaticae and Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, being the dominant layer closer to Quercetalia communities and the herb layer to Fagetalia. For comparison a survey is provided of the most important Quercus cerris community types described throughout the whole Apennine chain using all published relevés (synoptic table).