Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 22: 1-110, 2011 BRC www.brc.amu.edu.pl 10.2478/v10119-011-0011-0 Relics of cultivation in the vascular flora of medieval West Slavic settlements and castles Zbigniew Celka Department of Plant Taxonomy, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 PoznaÒ, Poland, e-mail:
[email protected] Abstract. This monograph presents results of research on relics of cultivation and the present vascular flora of sites of medieval fortified settlements and castles in Central Europe. Special attention was paid to 109 West Slavic sites located in Poland, north- eastern Germany, and the Czech Republic. For comparison, floristic data were collected also at 21 sites of medieval settle- ments and castles of Baltic tribes, East Slavs, and Teutonic knights. Results of this study confirm the hypothesis that remnants of medieval fortified settlements and castles are valuable habitat islands in the agricultural landscape, and are refuges of the plants that have accompanied West Slavs since the Middle Ages. At the 109 West Slavic archaeological sites, 876 vascular plant species were recorded. The present flora of the study sites is highly specific, clearly distinct from the surrounding natural environment, as shown by results of analyses of taxonomic composition, geographical-historical and synecological groups, indices of anthropogenic changes of the flora, and degrees of hemeroby (i.e. human influence) at the studied habitats. The sites of fortified settlements and castles are centres of concentration and sources of dispersal of alien species. Aliens account for nearly 21% of the vascular flora of the study sites. Among them, a major role is played by archaeophytes (101 species).