Flora of Vascular Plants of Selected Poznań Cemeteries
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ACTA AGROBOTANICA Vol. 64 (4): 123–140 2011 FLORA OF VASCULAR PLANTS OF SELECTED POZNAŃ CEMETERIES 1Aneta Czarna, 1Agata Woźnicka, 2Małgorzata Maj, 1Maria Morozowska 1Department of Botany, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71c, 60-625 Poznań, Poland, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 2Wierna Rzeka 8, 66-100 Sulechów, Poland Received: 09.03.2011 Abstract occurring in them in the later years. The local land- The presence of 395 species of vascular flora at four scape also creates the surroundings of the gravestones, rarely used cemeteries within the Poznań city was confirmed in which from pagan times have been planted with spe- 2010. Apart from naturally occurring species, cultivated species cies of symbolic and magical significance (Siew- were noted equally. Among species appearing spontaneously niak and Mitkowska, 1998). between the graves, species new for the flora of Poland: Chio- Modern gravestones are decorated mainly with nodoxa forbesii, Ch. luciliae, Puschkinia scilloides, new for the seasonal plants. Well-ordered cemeteries are consi- flora of Wielkopolska: Bidens ferulifolius, Hyacinthoides hi- dered to be those that are carefully raked. The graves spanica and new for the flora of Poznań: Erigeron ramosus, Li- in such a cemetery are surrounded by white gravel or lium bulbiferum, Pimpinella nigra, Poa subcaerulea, Veronica stone-paved surface. Weeds and deciduous trees are hederifolia s.s., were recorded. Names of taxa originating from unwelcome. Heavy stone memorials dominate, taking cultivation are underlined. up the place of plants. In concequence, many of the contemporary cemeteries have lost their park character. Key words: vascular flora, cemetery, permanent cemetery Poznań, as a city with many centuries of tradi- species, Poznań, Wielkopolska tion, has 21 cemeteries within its area. Their total area, which is about 231 ha, covers 0.9% of the city area. Out INTRODUCTION of the 19 parochial cemeteries, 9 are considered to have historical significance (Mierzejewska, 2001). Urban cemeteries are among generally accessi- Nowadays, cemeteries and their floristic com- ble green areas. With regard for tradition, respect for position are becoming the subject of many studies. the past and for the people who created them, ceme- There are many publications concerning spontaneous teries deserve careful maintenance. Cemeteries are vascular flora of the cemeteries in Chełm District (F i - planted with trees and shrubs which fulfil ecological jał kowski and K ę dzierawska, 1982), War- and ornamental functions (Czekalski, 2001). Ce- saw (Galera et al. 1993), Jarocin (Czarna, 2004), meteries are clearly divided into areas designated for Ostrów Wlkp. and its surroundings (Celka and Ż y- burying the dead and also gardens with a particular wica, 2004), Zakopane (Czarna and Piskorz, type of mood of silence, reflection on mortality, and 2005), Jelenia Góra (Czarna et al. 2006), Ustrzyki meditation. This is brought about by their exceptional Dolne (Czarna et al., 2007). Some works about or- scenery, composed of memorials and the inscriptions namental plants at cemeteries are also present (Cze- placed on them as well as by avenues planted with tre- kalski and Furmań czyk, 2000; Czekalski, es and plants ornamenting graves and growing around 2001; D ę bicz, 2002; Dę bicz and Czekal- them (Czekalski and Furmań czyk, 2000; ski, 2002). D ę bicz and Czekalski, 2002). The composition of cemeteries is dependent upon historical time span as well as cultural, religious, MATERIAL AND METHODS and burial customs. These factors influence the origi- Four Poznań cemeteries named the Jeżyce Ce- nal arrangement of cemeteries as well as the changes metery, Górczyn Cemetery, Parochial Cemetery of 124 Aneta Czarna, Agata Woźnicka, Małgorzata Maj, Maria Morozowska Corpus Christi, and St. Jan Vianney Parochial Ceme- one parallel to the first one, as well as some transverse tery, were chosen for the inventory and comparison of small alleys. The cemetery is under legal protection ac- vascular plants. All of them are open, similar with re- cording to the provisions of the law on conservation of spect to the year of founding, located in-between low monuments of art and history. The new part of the ce- buildings, and far away from main communication ro- metery is raked and trodden, and the herbaceous layer ads or natural ecological corridors. Two of them, the is poor there. From the side of Szpitalna St., the ceme- Jeżyce Cemetery and Parochial Cemetery of Corpus tery is screened by a hedge of Taxus baccata and Ligu- Christi, are of historical importance (Mierzejew- strum vulgare, while from Nowina St. the cemetery is ska, 2001). Floristic research of these Poznań ceme- sheltered by Thuja occidentalis and Taxus baccata. The teries was conducted in the 2010 vegetation season. majority of the surface between the graves is occupied In order to determine the cover-abundance de- by herbaceous plants. The alley of Tilia cordata runs gree of vascular plant species, a 6-degree scale, out of from the main gate through the whole cemetery. Trees Braun-Blanquet’s scale, was applied with: 0 (1-5 in- cover approx. 75% of the cemetery area. The presence dividuals; < 5% cover of the cemetery area), 1 (> 5 of the following three species: Pyrus salicifolia, Pru- individuals; < 5%), 2 (5-25%), 3 (> 25-50%), 4 (> 50- nus angustifolia, Artemisia abrotanum, in this cemete- 75%), 5 (> 75-100%). The large area of the examined ry (Podmostko-Kł o s , 2010) was not confirmed sites justifies applying such 6-degree scale. The status in our observations. of a ‘permanent cemetery plant’, which was distingu- G – The Górczyn Cemetery is situated beside ished in our flora descriptions, was related to the spe- Piotr Ściegienny St. The cemetery was established in cies which were planted in a cemetery area and curren- 1910 on an area of approx. 8 ha, and it has a rectan- tly are in a good condition, continue to grow or even gular shape with its longer side oriented in the north- are spreading without any care (C zarna, 2001). -south direction. The cemetery is arranged in quarters Nomenclature of the spontaneous species fol- formed by the main avenue and transverse paths. The lows Mirek et al. (2002) and of the cultivated plants whole area is enclosed by a wall with a double winged Gawryś (2008). The geographic-historical status cast iron gate facing the street. The cemetery is under and socio-ecological groups are presented according legal protection according to the provisions of the law to Chmiel (1993) and Czarna (2009), while life on conservation of monuments of art and history. Trees forms follow Zarzycki et al. (2002) and Rut- cover about 60% of the area. The alley along the main kowski (2006). Species new for the flora of Poland cemetery axis is planted with Robinia pseudoacacia. are shown according to Mirek et al. (2002), new for The spaces between the graves are raked and frequently Wielkopolska according to Szulczewski (1951), trodden, therefore the herbaceous layer is poor there. and new for Poznań according to Jackowiak V – The St. Jan Vianney Parochial Cemetery (1993). Names of taxa originating exclusively from is situated at the crossing of Lutycka and Szczawnic- cultivation are underlined in the text. ka St. The cemetery was established in 1936. It oc- cupies an area of 0.25 ha and has an approximately Cemetery characteristcs rectangular shape with the main avenue and quartered CC – The Parochial Cemetery of Corpus Christi arrangement. It is surrounded by wrought iron fencing. was established in 1912 on a rectangular plan. It covers The main avenue is planted with Tilia platyphyllos an area of about 6 ha and is located beside Bluszczo- and column form of Quercus robur. Trees cover about wa St. It is surrounded by fencing with an ornamental, 40% of the cemetery area. The shrub layer is abun- brickwork entrance gate. Trees cover about 75% of dant at that cemetery. Thuja occidentalis, Chamaecy- the cemetery area. The following species grow along paris lawsoniana, Ch. pisifera, Juniperus chinensis, the main alley: Acer platanoides, Platanus ×hispanica J. communis and Taxus baccata varieties appear here and Fraxinus excelsior, whereas one of the side paths plentifully. The hedges of deciduous plants have been is planted with Sorbus aria. Alongside the fencing, an planted between the graves. They consist mainly of Li- impressive alley composed of Pinus nigra is situated. gustrum vulgare, Acer campestre, Symphoricarpos al- Quarters are separated by numerous hedges composed bus. In the newer part of this cemetery, the herbaceous of Carpinus betulus and other species. layer is significantly poor. The surface is predominan- J – The Jeżyce Cemetery was established in tly frequently trodden and raked there. 1905. It is placed between Nowina and Szpitalna St. Currently it has an area of approx. 6.4 ha with a nearly four-sided shape with its longer axis in a north-south RESULTS AND DISCUSSION direction. The southern and western boundaries are A total of 395 vascular plants were recorded enclosed by a wall, and by iron fencing from the side of growing in the area of the four examined Poznań ce- the streets. The described cemetery has a quartered ar- meteries (Table 1). The highest number of species was rangement with one main composition axis, the second recorded at the Parochial Cemetery of Corpus Christi Flora of vascular plants of selected Poznań cemeteries 125 (218 species) and at the St. Jan Vianney Parochial shrub layer, the highest number of species were noted Cemetery (210). At the Jeżyce Cemetery, 199 species at the cemeteries of the Corpus Christi (31 species) were noted, and the least species (171) were noted in and at the St. Jan Vianney Parochial Cemetery (29 the area of the Górczyn Cemetery. At all of the the species), whereas at the Jeżyce Cemetery 27 species four examined cemeteries, 47 species of vascular and at the Górczyn Cemetery 21 species were confir- plants were noted in the tree layer, 58 in the shrub med in the shrub layer.