Buxus Balearica Willd., Elemento Mediterraneo-Occidentale della Sardegna

Summary

The occurance of Buxus balearica Willd. in Sardinia, already reported by Gennari (1864), and its indigenous state are confirmed by the present study. Its station and geographic distribution as well as the biocenosis in which this species takes part (Barbusi near Sulcis in S. Sardinia) are considered.

The study of the Barbusi station, in comparison with others hitherto known, brings a general confirmation to Chiarugi's view concerning the mountainous origin of the mediterranea elements. Besides, it emphasizes the differences between the stations of B. balearica, an element of the mediterranea “macchia”, and those of B. sempervirens, an undergrowth element of mesophilous formations (deciduous woods), which only rarely belonges to more termophilous bioceneses.

The author notes that both species belong to the same stage of Q. Ilex and that the altitude range in which the Q. Ilex stage is comprised is very wide in the different mediterranean regions. In addition, the author emphasizes that Buxus sempervirens occurs in Corsica and Atlas up to the upper limit of Quercetum Ilicis, together with species belonging to higher stages, whilst Buxus balearica belongs to the lower limit of Quercetum Ilicis in the underzone “Olea-Ceratonia”. The altimetric separation of these species is, therefore, obvious.

Due to the compenetration of floras of mountainous origin during the phases of the Ice-period, the knowledge of the segregation epoch of these species from each other is made impossible.

Buxus balearica occupies actually as eocene substratum and, therefore, shows edaphic exigences for soils of a certain age: a condition not occurring for Buxus sempervirens.

Both Buxus species, together with other horeal-tertiary ones (all constituting actually, in the mediterranea countries, a special relict flora) belong to the Lauretum, in a historic sense (Chiarugi).