Apennine deciduous montane forest

File:Casentino-Nationalpark.jpg

Mixed forest (Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica) in Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna National Park

The Apennine deciduous montane forests, a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, are an ecoregion in the mountain ranges of northern and central Italy, including the Apennine Mountains.

Description

Vegetation zones

The ecoregion has two major vegetation zones:
1. Extensive forests

• Fagus sylvatica
• some relict Pinus nigra var. italica stands.
• White Fir Abies alba.
• some relict Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris (only in Northen Apennine).

With sporadic presence of Quercus ssp., Fraxinus ssp., Acer ssp. and other central - European broadleaved species.

2. Mountain summit meadows and cushion scrubs, with the predominant species:

• Juniperus nana,
• Sorbus chamaemespilus,
• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi,
• Vaccinium vitis-idaea
• relict Pinus mugo.

Endemic species

There are a high number of endemic species increasing at higher elevations and representing between 10 and 20% of the total flora.

• Abruzzo Mountains has 1,200 endemic species;
• Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga has 1,500 endemic species;
• Maiella mountains has 1,800 endemic species.

Alpine species include

• Gentiana dinarica,
• Gentiana nivalis,
• Androsace alpina,
• Polygala chamaebuxus,
• Saxifraga oppositifolia,
• Ranunculus seguieri
• Carlina acaulis.