VEGETATION OF ISRAEL I. Desert and coastal vegetation Edited by Avinoam Danin and Gideon Orshan Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 1999 ISBN 90-73348-99-4 © 1999 Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this book may be translated or reproduced in any form by print, photoprint, micro- film, or any other means without the prior written permission of the publishers, Backhuys Publishers, P.O. Box 321, 2300 AH Leiden, The Netherlands. Printed in The Netherlands TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 1. History of botanical investigations in Israel 3 1.1 Vegetation mapping of Israel (Danin) 3 1.1.1 Vegetation in the Hebrew Scriptures 3 1.1.2 Early vegetation surveys 4 1.1.3 Vegetation surveys by resident researchers 4 1.2 Phytosociological investigations of Israel (Orshan & Danin) 4 1.3 Phytogeographical research of Israel (Danin) 5 2. Environment (Danin) 7 2.1 Topography 7 2.2 Climate 7 2.2.1 Rainfall 7 2.2.2 Temperature 11 2.3 Rock types 11 2.4 Soils 14 3. Flora of Israel and the surrounding countries (Danin) 15 4. The main vegetation types of Israel (Danin) 19 4.1 Woodlands and forests 19 4.2 Quercus calliprinos woodlands on basalt 19 4.3 Montane woodland of Mt. Hermon 21 4.4 Park forests of Quercus ithaburensis 21 4.5 Park forests of Ceratonia siliqua and Pistacia lentiscus 21 4.6 Mediterranean Savannoid vegetation 21 4.7 Ziziphus lotus with herbaceous vegetation 21 4.8 Semi-steppe batha 23 4.9 Tragacanth vegetation of Mt. Hermon 23 4.10 Shrub-steppes 23 4.11 Shrub-steppes with trees 25 4.12 Desert vegetation 25 4.13 Sand vegetation 27 4.14 Oases with Sudanian trees 27 4.15 Desert savannoid vegetation 30 4.16 Swamps and reed thickets 30 4.17 Salt marshes 30 4.18 Synanthropic vegetation 30 5. Methods (Danin & Solomeshch) 33 6. Synopsis of the vegetation and enumeration of the associations 35 (Danin & Solomeshch) 6.1 The synopsis of the vegetation of Israel 35 vi 6.2 B Ballotetea undulatae 39 6.2.1 BB Ballotetalia undulatae 40 6.2.1.1 BBC Retamo - Calicotomion villosae 40 6.2.1.1.1 BBC01 Calicotomo villosi - Sarcopoterietum spinosi 40 6.2.1.2 BBP Balloto - Sarcopoterion spinosi 45 6.2.1.2.1 BBP01 Astragalo bethlehemitici - Sarcopoterietum 45 spinosi 6.2.1.2.2 BBP02 Phlomido brachyodontis - Sarcopoterietum 50 spinosi 6.2.1.2.3 BBP03 Phlomido brachyodontis - Sarcopoterietum 55 spinosi artemisietosum sieberi 6.2.1.3 BBE Echinopion polyceratis 56 6.2.1.3.1 BBE01 Ononidetum natricis 56 6.2.1.3.2 BBE02 Alkanno strigosae - Echinopetum polyceratis 62 6.2.1.3.3 BBE03 Ononido natricis - Artemisietum sieberi 63 6.2.1.3.4 BBE04 Sarcopoterio - Artemisietum sieberi 64 6.2.1.3.5 BBE05 Balloto undulatae - Salsoletum vermiculatae 67 6.2.1.4 BBS Sarcopoterio - Salvion syriacae 67 6.2.1.4.1 BBS01 Sarcopoterio - Salvietum syriacae 67 6.3 A Artemisietea sieberi 79 6.3.1. AA Artemisietalia sieberi 80 6.3.1.1. AAA Artemision sieberi 80 6.3.1.1.1. AA AO 1 Asphodelo ramosi - Deverretum tortuosi 82 6.3.1.1.2 AAA02 Noaetum mucronatae 85 6.3.1.1.3 AAA03 Helianthemo vesicarii - Artemisietum sieberi 86 6.3.1.1.4 AAA04 Thymelaeo hirsutae - Artemisietum sieberi 87 6.3.1.1.5 AAA05 Reaumurio negevensis - Artemisietum sieberi 90 6.3.1.1.6 AAA06 Moricandio nitentis - Artemisietum sieberi 91 6.3.1.1.7 AAA07 Asphodelo ramosi - Artemisietum sieberi 92 6.3.1.2 AAH Haloxylion scopariae 96 6.3.1.2.1 AAH01 Peganetum harmalae 97 6.3.1.2.2 AAH02 Plantago coronopi - Anabasietum syriacae 99 6.3.1.2.3 AAH03 Ferulo biverticillatae - Anabasietum syriacae 99 6.3.1.2.4 AAH04 Helianthemo ledifolii - Anabasietum syriacae 103 6.3.1.2.5 AAH05 Erucario microcarpae - Haloxyletum 103 scopariae 6.3.1.2.6. AAH06 Haloxyletum scopariae 104 6.3.1.2.7 AAH07 Achilletum santolinae 109 6.3.2 AR Reaumurietalia hirtellae 116 6.3.2.1 ARS Salsolion vermiculatae 116 6.3.2.1.1 ARS01 Salsoletum vermiculatae 116 6.3.2.1.2 ARS02 Crithopsio delileanae - Salsoletum 120 vermiculatae 6.3.1.2.3 ARS03 Stipo capensis - Salsoletum vermiculatae 121 6.3.2.1.4 ARS04 Noaeo - Salsoletum vermiculatae 122 6.3.2.1.5 ARS05 Saturejo thymbrifoliae - Salsoletum 125 vermiculatae vii 6.3.2.1.6 ARS06 Reaumurietum hirtellae : 126 6.3.2.1.7 ARS07 Atriplicetum glaucae 129 6.3.2.2 ARR Eremopyro distans - Reaumurion negevensis 130 6.3.2.2.1 ARR01 Anthemido melampodinae-Atriplicetum 130 glaucae 6.3.2.2.2 ARR02 Reaumurietum negevensis 131 6.3.2.2.3 ARR03 Asterisco hierochuntici - Halothamnetum 132 acutifolii 6.3.2.2.4 ARR04 Pterantho dichotomi - Halothamnetum 135 acutifolii 6.3.2.2.5 ARR05 Helianthemo ledifolii - Salsoletum orientalis 135 6.3.2.2.6 ARR06 Ferulo daninii - Salsoletum orientalis 136 6.3.2.2.7 ARR07 Erodio crassifolii - Reaumurietum hirtellae 138 6.3.2.2.8 ARR08 Halothamno acutifolii - Agathophoretum 140 alopecuroidis 6.3.2.2.9 ARR09 Cymbolaeno griffithii - Reaumurietum 142 hirtellae 6.4 M Anabasietea articulatae 148 6.4.1 MM Anabasietalia articulatae 149 6.4.1.1 MMA Agathophoro - Anabasion articulatae 149 6.4.1.1.1 MMA01 Agathophoro alopecuroidis - Anabasietum 150 articulatae 6.4.1.1.2 MMA02 Anabasietum setiferae 151 6.4.1.2 MMH Haloxylo scopariae - Anabasion articulatae 151 6.4.1.2.1. MMH01 Haloxylo scopariae - Anabasietum 152 ■ . articulatae 6.4.1.2.2 MMH02 Haloxylo scopariae - Zygophylletum 155 dumosi 6.4.1.3 MMS Salsolion tetrandrae 155 6.4.1.3.1. MMS01 Bassietum arabicae 157 6.4.1.3.2 MMS02 Agathophoretum alopecuroidis 157 6.4.1.3.3 MMS03 Haloxyletum negevensis 162 6.4.1.3.4 MMS04 Suaedetum asphalticae 163 6.4.1.3.5 MMS05 .Salsolo tetrandrae - Suaedetum palaestinae 164 6.4.1.3.6 MMS06 Salsoletum tetrandrae 166 6.4.1.3.7 MMS07 Stipo capensis - Salsoletum tetrandrae 166 6.4.1.4 MMZ Zygophyllion dumosi : 170 6.4.1.4.1 MMZ01 ReaUmurio hirtellae - Zygophylletum 172 dumosi 6.4.1.4.2 MMZ02 Gymnocarpo decandri - Zygophylletum 176 dumosi 6.4.1.4.3 MMZ03 Reaumurio negevensis - Zygophylletum 176 dumosi 6.4.1.4.4 MMZ04 Salsolo tetrandrae - Zygophylletum dumosi 179 6.4.1.4.5 MMZ05 Schimpero arabicae - Zygophylletum dumosi 180 6.4.1.4.6 MMZ06 Helianthemo kahirici - Gymnocarpetum 181 decandri viii 6.4.1.4.7 MMZ07 Diplotaxio acris - Zygophylletum dumosi 184 6.4.1.4.8 MMZ08 Trichodesmetum boissierii 184 6.5 V Chiliadenetea iphionoidis 189 6.5.1 VM Podonosmo - Chiliadenetalia iphionoidis 189 6.5.1.1 VMB Balloto -Chiliadenion iphionoidis 190 6.5.1.1.1 VMB01 Majorano syriacae - Chiliadenetum 190 iphionoidis 6.5.1.1.2 VMB02 Hyparrhenio hirtae - Chiliadenetum 195 iphionoidis iphionoidis 6.5.1.1.3 VMB03 Podonosmo orientalis - Chiliadenetum 196 iphionoidis 6.5.1.1.4 VMB04 Periplocetum aphyllae 196 6.5.2. VD Artemisio sieberi - Chiliadenetalia iphionoidis 199 6.5.2.1 VDN Origano dayi - Chiliadenion iphionoidis 199 6.5.2.1.1 VDN01 Origanetum dayi 199 6.5.2.1.2 VDN02 Pistacio atlanticae - Chiliadenetum 204 iphionoidis 6.5.2.1.3 VDN03 Helianthemo kahirici - Chiliadenetum 204 iphionoidis 6.5.2.2 VDJ Retamo - Phlomion brachyodontis 205 6.5.2.2.1 VDJ02 Podonosmo orientalis - Kickxietum judaicae 207 6.5.2.2.2 VDJ03 Tricholaeno tenerrifae - Gymnocarpetum 210 decandri 6.6 D Retametea raetam 217 6.6.1 DM Retametalia raetam 218 .6.6.1.1 Ammophilo - Artemisienalia monospermae 219 6.6.1.1.1 ‘DMA Artemision monospermae 219 DMA01 Cypero macrorrhizi - 221 ־6.6.1.1.1.31 Ammophiletum arenariae 6.6.1.1.1.2 DMA02 Cutando memphiticae - 222 Ammophiletum arenariae 6.6.1.1.1.3 DMA03 Scrophulario hypericifoliae - 222 Ammophiletum arenariae 6.6.1.1.1.4 DMA04 Centropodio forsskali - 223 Ammophiletum arenariae 6.6.1.1.2 DMB , Senecioni joppensis -Artemision 223 monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.1 DMB01 Polygono palaestini - 225 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.2 DMB02 Centropodio forsskali - 226 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.3 DMB03 Stipagrostio lanatae - 227 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.4 DMB04 Senecioni joppensis - 228 Ononidetum natricis 6.6.1.1.2.5 DMB05 Echinopo philistaei - 229 Artemisietum monospermae IX 6.6.1.1.2.6 DMB06 Launaeo fragilis - 229 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.7 DMB07 Echio angustifoliae - 232 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.2.8 DMB08 Convolvulo lanati - 233 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.1.3 DMS Scrophularion hypericifoliae 235 6.6.1.1.3.1 DMS01 Moltkiopsio ciliatae - 236 Scrophularietum hypericifoliae 6.6.1.1.3.2 DMS02 Echiochilo fruticosae - 237 Artemisietum monospermae 6.6.1.2 Geranio robertiani - Artemisienalia monospermae 238 6.6.1.2.4 DMR Phagnalo rupestris - Retamion raetam 238 6.6.1.2.4.1 DMR01 Senecioni joppensis - 238 Retametum raetam 6.6.1.2.4.2 DMR02 Centropodo forsskali - 240 Retametum raetam 6.6.1.2.4.3 DMR03 Corynephoro divaricati - 241 Retametum raetam 6.6.1.2.4.4 DMR04 Dittricho viscosi - Retametum 243 raetam 6.6.1.2.4.5 DMR05 Prasio maji - Retametum 244 raetam 6.6.1.2.4.6 DMR06 Bilacunario boissieri - 246 Retametum raetam 6.6.1.2.4.7 DMR07 Solano sinaici - Retametum 246 raetam 6.6.1.2.5 DMH Trifolio palaestini - Helianthemion 247 stipulati 6.6.1.2.5.1 DMH01 Ephedro aphyllae - 248 Helianthemetum stipulati 6.6.1.2.5.2 DMH02 Retamo reatam - 250 Echiochiletum fruticosi 6.6.1.2.5.3 DMH03 Plantago sarcophyllae - 252 Helianthemetum stipulati 6.6.1.2.5.4 DMH04 Trifolio palaestini - 252 Helianthemetum stipulati 6.6.1.2.5.5 DMH05 Pistacio lentisci - 254 Helianthemetum stipulati 6:6.1.2.5.6 DMH06 Pistacio lentisci - 255 Calicotometum villosae 6.6.2 DS Erodio laciniati - Stipagrostietalia plumosae 258 6.6.2.1 Stipagrostio scopariae - Artemisienalia monospermae 259 .