Summary:
The present doctoral thesis studies in detail the flora of the area of Mt
Pendelikon. It also studies the vegetation units of the mountain and their
correlation to the various ecological factors such as climate, geomorphology,
geological substrate, soil and anthropogenic effects. It contributes to the
knowledge of the ecology of a sensitive area in the vicinity of the capital of
Greece, Athens. The flora of Mt Pendelikon consists of 1090 taxa. 323 (29,63%)
of them are new records for the investigated area. From them 1 is a new record
for the Greek mainland, 1 new for Southern Greece, 1 new for Sterea Ellas and
27 are new records for Attiki. Both life-form and chorological spectrums
underline the intense Mediterranean character of the mountain’s flora. Greek
endemics comprises 65 taxa (5,96%). The endemic flora is analyzed
phytogeographically and correlated to geological substrate. Proposals are made
for the protection of the endemic, rare and threatened taxa of the investigated
area. The floristic affinities of the mountain with other mountains of mainland
Greece or with Greek islands are analyzed. The flora and vegetation of the
various types of rocks that exist in the mountain are also compared. Eight
vegetation entities were recognized in the natural ecosystems of the mountain
that belong to 5 classes. They were recognized one association, 14 communities
and several facies of them. Some of them are described for the first time and
are of special interest such as Quercus ilex-Ostrya carpinifolia comm.
Keywords:
Flora, Phytogeography, Ecology, Vegetation, Endemism
