Nomenclatural Revision for the Order Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia

The order Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia describes the dry grasslands of a large area in southeastern Europe, centred around and east of the Adriatic Sea (i.e., Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia). Most commonly, Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia is arranged within the classes Festuco-Brometea or Brachypodio-Chrysopogonetea or it is split into two orders classified within Festuco-Brometea and Thero-Brachypodietea; according to other minor opinions, the order is sometimes assigned to Brachypodio-Brometea, Thero-Brachypodietea or Ononido-Rosmarinetea. This report deals with the nomenclatural revision of Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia and other correlated syntaxa to sort out the numerous incorrect syntaxon names found in scientific literature. The revision is carried out according to the third edition of the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, and while it focuses on ranks of order, alliance and suballiance, it is also enlarged to include associations quoted in major comprehensive syntaxonomic revisions. As a result, many names and authors’ citations of syntaxa are corrected, and the theoretical implications arising from their usage are indicated. To promote nomenclatural stability, a new alliance, Violo pseudogracilis-Bromopsion caprinae, is described, and the following syntaxa are validated: Hypochoeridion maculatae, Hypochoeridenion maculatae, Astragalo croatici-Seslerietum robustae, Avenulo praeustae-Brometum erecti, Bromo erecti-Seslerietum interruptae, Carici vernae-Scabiosetum leucophyllae, Globulario cordifoliae-Scabiosetum leucophyllae, Globulario elongatae-Chrysopogonetum grylli, Minuartio capillaceae-Genistetum pulchellae, Stipo eriocaulis-Caricetum humilis and Stipo pennatae-Genistetum dalmaticae. Additionally, three association names (Asphodelo albi-Filipenduletum vulgaris, Centaureo rupestris-Caricetum humilis and Cymbopogono hirti-Brachypodietum ramosi) are proposed for inversions, and three others (Festuco illyricae-Poetum bulbosae, Lactuco vimineae-Bothriochloetum ischaemum and Saturejo montanae-Dichanthietum ischaemum) are corrected. Finally, typifications of 16 syntaxa are given.