Flora and vegetation of a unique suburban area: Mount San Anton (Malaga, Spain).

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to elaborate two separate catalogs of flora and plant communities and their successional dynamics in the suburban area of Mount San Anton (Malaga, Andalusia, Spain). The macrobioclimate is Mediterranean with thermomediterranean thermotype and dry ombrotype. The study area is geologically composed of basic materials (Jurassic limestone) with small areas with siliceous materials (phyllites, schists) with mountainous landforms and altitudes between 50-511 m. It is placed in the phytogeographical Baetica province (Mediterranean region) in the Malacitano-Axarquiense sector and unit of the Montes de Malaga. The floristic checklist consists of 456 taxa, highlighting endemism with center of origin in the province of Málaga, as Cytisus malacitanus or Sideritis reverchonii, and 3 endangered species, highlighting Convolvulus valentinus (EN). 30 plant associations and communities have been inventoried, among which are considered as new syntaxa for the Malacitano-Axarquiense sector the alliances Lythrion tribracteolati and Resedo-Moricandion lanceolatae, represented by respective basal communities, and as representing the abundant scrublands, Saturejo malacitanae-Coridothymetum capitati var. with Sideritis reverchonii (endemism) and Cytisus malacitanus formations, also endemic. The successional dynamics is summarized in a climatophilous thermomediterranean series of Quercus rotundifolia and a group of permanent communities included in two edaphogenous and topogenous vegetation complexes. These complexes are developed in the frequent rocky habitats: one on the basis of crags and cliffs, lapiaz and skeletal soils (Rhamnus lycioides shrub formations, espartales with Stipa tenacissima, Coridothymus capitatus scrublands and escobonales with Cytisus malacitanus) and another in cliffs and rock crevices (characterized respectively by Asplenium petrarchae, Polypodium cambricum, Campanula mollis and Sedum sediforme).