Phytogeography of Italian deciduous oak woods based on numerical classification of plant distribution ranges

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Abstract
358 vascular plant species occurring in the deciduous oak woods of Italy were subdivided into 18 phytogeographical groups (chorotypes) through a numerical classification of their total ranges. The distribution patterns of the chorotypes are illustrated by chorograms, i.e. isopleth maps showing the joint distribution of species in Europe and surroundings regions. Except for Mediterranean species, which occur only occasionally in deciduous forests, the oak‐wood flora of Italy consists of four main phytogeographical elements, which have a similar incidence (ca. 25 % each): (a) narrow‐ranging, southern European species, (b) southeastern European species of submediterranean woodlands, (c) central‐European species, (d) widely distributed European species. The oak woods of Italy differ from their central‐European counterparts as to the relatively high floristic diversity, and in the presence of several narrow‐ranging taxa, centred in different refugial areas for forest vegetation during the glacial period. There is a relation between the distribution patterns of the chorotypes and their relative frequencies in different communities; the latitudinal and longitudinal extensions of the ranges reflect the thermic and hygric conditions of the communities. The oak woods of northern and southern Italy are phytogeographically well‐characterized; the former have a maximum of wide‐ranging, central European species, the latter host several narrow‐ranging taxa. The woodlands of central Italy have intermediate phytogeographical features, which is one of the main reasons for the difficulties in their syntaxonomical arrangement.