Étude phytosociologique sur les formations à Laurus nobilis L. dans le Monts Iblei (Sicile sud-orientale)

The Laurus nobilis L. communities occurring in some places of Hyblean Mountains (SE Sicily) are investigated. This vegetation is clearly autochtonous and shows a relict character. The laurel is localyzed in some calcareous gorges and in volcanic northern slopes of Mt. Lauro and is closely linked to peculiar microclimatic conditions of oceanic type, due to damp soils and high atmospherical humidity. On the basis of floristic and structural features two types of plant communities can be distinguished, the Hedero helicis-Lauretum nobilis linked to limestones, already known for the Iberian peninsula and belonging to the Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni, and the Lauro-Quercetum virgilianae ass. nov., a forest type of the Quercetalia ilicis growing on marls and basalts, occurring in the Hyblean area and in Latium. The syntaxonomical, ecological and syndynamical settings are discussed by a comparison with related plant communities described from other Mediterranean territories.