VEGETATION OF EUROPEAN SPRINGS - HIGH-RANK SYNTAXA OF THE MONTIO-CARDAMINETEA

A survey of high-rank syntaxa of vegetation of European springs (class Montio-Cardaminetea) is presented. It shows the complexity of the cla ss and the relations between the units. More than 1200 releves were ar ranged into six phytosociological tables, each representing an allianc e. A synoptic table comprising all alliances is presented. Bryophytes are the most important group in most of the communities, both regardin g biomass and cover. The Adiantetea and the Montio-Cardaminetea are co mbined into one class. As to floristics and ecology, there are no obvi ous reasons to distinguish more than one order in this class. The vege tation of European springs is divided into six alliances: (1) Adiantio n, split into two new suballiances, Adiantenion and Lycopodo-Cratoneur enion; (2) Cratoneurion commutati; (3) Cardamino-Montion - incl. three new suballiances: Mniobryo-Epilobienion hornemannii, Swertio-Anisothe cienion and Cardamino-Montenion; (4) Dermatocarpion; (5) Epilobio nuta ntis-Montion; (6) Caricion remotae - incl. two new suballiances: Caric enion remotae and Cratoneuro filicini-Calthenion laetae. The alliances are floristically and ecologically characterized and their distributi ons in Europe shown on maps.