Contributo alla conoscenza vegetazionale delle sugherete Toscane.

A phytosociological survey of the Tuscan cork-oak woodlands led to the recognition of five associations and some subassociations, on the basis of distinct physiognomic, floristic and ecological features. The Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis includes common coppices dominated by Quercus ilex, Q. suber and some minor deciduous trees such as Fraxinus ornus. The Viburno tini-Q. ilicis is a thermoxeric aspect of the former, consisting exclusively of sclerophyllic trees and shrubs, while the Asplenio onopteridis-Q. ilicis describes the uncommon mesic aspects with a mix of Q. ilex, Q. suber, Q. cerris and some other nemoral species in the understory. The new association Simethido mattiazzi-Q. suberis describes the open cork-oak matorrals developed on crystalline siliceous rocks, characterized by the presence of several mediterraneo-atlantic species. Dynamic, ecological and chorological evidences suggest that the Simethido mattiazzi-Q. suberis may represent the closest aspect to the local original habitat in which Q. suber was restricted before anthropic environmental changes. The Erico arboreae-Arbutetum unedonis subass. quercetosum suberis identifies the regressive stages of the former association dominated by dense stands of Ericaceous shrubs. Finally some syntaxonomic and dynamic aspects are discussed to highlight the relevance of the Tuscan cork-oak woodlands to the conservation of both the local floristic diversity and some traditional land-use activities.