A new locality of Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch in the Sudeten Foreland

205 A-new-locality-of-Botrychium-matricariifolium-in-the-Sudeten-Foreland 205 A new locality of Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch in the Sudeten Foreland SYLWIA NOWAK, ARKADIUSZ NOWAK Laboratory of Geobotany and Plant Conservation, Department of Biosystematics, Opole University, Oleska 48, PL-45-052 Opole, Poland; e-mails: snowak@uni.opole.pl, anowak@uni.opole.pl ABSTRACT: This paper presents a new locality of Botrychium matricariifolium, one of the rarest and critically endangered plant in Poland. The population occupies the south slope of the hill near Pomianów Górny (Lower Silesia) in the border area of the Niemczañsko-Strzeliñskie Hills and the Otmuchów Lowering. It consists of one individual, which was found in the grass community of a transitional character. Dominant plants represent mainly the Festuco-Brometea and the Koelerio glaucae-corynephoretea canescentis classes. The cover ratio of species from the Nardo-Callunetea and the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea classes was also considerably high. No anthropogenic threats were identified, which could influence the habitat of the species considered. Only the natural succession would cause significant changes in this phytocoenosis and the main threat is expansion of Calamagrostis epigejos. ABSTRAKT: Praca przedstawia nowe stanowisko Botrychium matricariifolium, jednej z najrzadszych i krytycznie zagro onych roœlin w Polsce. Populacja sk³ada siê z jednego osobnika, który roœnie na po³udniowych stokach wzniesieñ na pograniczu Wzgórz Niemczañsko-Strzeliñskich i Obni enia Otmuchowskiego w pobli u Pomianowa Górnego na Dolnym Œl¹sku. Zbiorowisko, w którym odnotowano Botrychium matricariifolium ma przejœciowy charakter. Dominuj¹ tu gatunki z klas Festuco-Brometea i Koelerio glaucae-corynephoretea canescentis. Stosunkowo wysoki jest te udzia³ roœlin reprezentuj¹cych bliÿniczyska Nardo-Callunetea i ³¹ki Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. Nie stwierdzono istotnych zagro eñ antropogenicznych dla miejsca wystêpowania podejÿrzona marunowego. Jedynie naturalna sukcesja mo e wywo³aæ znacz¹ce zmiany w fitocenozie; g³ównym zagro eniem jest ekspansja Calamagrostis epigejos. KEY WORDS: rare fern, threatened plants, Sudetes Mts., Lower Silesia NOWAK S., NOWAK A. 2008. A new locality of Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch in the Sudeten Foreland. In: E. Szczêœniak, E. Gola (eds), Club mosses, horsetails and ferns in Poland resources and protection. Institute of Plant Biology, University of Wroc³aw, Wroc³aw, p. 205 212.

206 Sylwia-Nowak,-Arkadiusz-Nowak 206 Introduction Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch belongs to the circumboreal-continental group of species. Its range comprises North America (Central-East) and Europe from Corsica to Scandinavia. Poland lays in the centre of its European distribution area (Meusel et al. 1965). The majority of Botrychium matricariifolium populations were noted in the northern, southern and western regions of Poland. Sporadically this species was also reported from the central and eastern part of the country (Zaj¹c, Zaj¹c 2001). Within the Sudeten range the great majority of known from literature locations were not confirmed during last few years. Many of them are considered to be not existing any more (Schube 1903; Szczêœniak 2001; Bobrowicz et al. 2004). However, the small size and specific biology of the species can be misleading and make the synanthropodynamic assessment of the fern hardly possible. Botrychium matricariifolium belongs to the threatened species in Poland and is considered to be critically endangered in the country (Szczêœniak 2001; Zarzycki, Szel¹g 2006). The same status was given in Lower Silesia and Opole Silesia (Szczêœniak 2002; K¹cki et al. 2003; Nowak et al. 2003). In Germany, the species was categorized as highly threatened (Korneck et al. 1996) and in the Czech Republic as critically endangered (Procházka 2001). Botrychium matricariifolium prefers the species-poor and sometimes nutrient-deficient swards. It occurs also in pastures and glade vegetation, in light forests, in warm verge phytocoenoses. The species was noted on acid sandy or clay soils. Botrychium matricariifolium was reported from open or slightly shaded communities of the Nardetalia Prsg 1949 order. Rarely it was also found in tree stands of the Dicrano-Pinion Libb. 1933 and the Quercion robori-petraeae Br.-Bl. 1932 alliances and in wet meadows of the Molinietalia caeruleae W. Koch 1926 order (Oberdorfer 1994; Chrtková 1997). 1. Methods The geobotanical research was conducted in 2008 in the south-western part of Lower Silesia, within the range of low hills near Paczków and Pomianów Górny. One relevé was done using the phytosociological Braun-Blanquet (1964) approach. The syntaxonomical classification follows Matuszkiewicz (2001). Other papers were also taken into consideration (Oberdorfer 1994; Pott 1995; Schubert et al. 1995; Valachoviè 1995). The location in the ATPOL grid square 10 10 km was given according to Zaj¹c (1978). The species nomenclature follows Mirek et al. (2002) and for lichens Fa³tynowicz (2003).

207 A-new-locality-of-Botrychium-matricariifolium-in-the-Sudeten-Foreland 207 2. Results During the field works conducted in 2008 in open vegetation types of the Sudeten Foreland, the new population of Botrychium matricariifolium was found. One individual of that species grows on the south slopes of a small hill to the north-east from the Pomianów Górny village (Fig. 1). This is a border- Fig. 1. Botrychium matricariifolium plant from the new site in Silesia Ryc. 1. Botrychium matricariifolium ro lina z nowego dla l¹ska stanowiska

208 Sylwia-Nowak,-Arkadiusz-Nowak 208 land of the Otmuchów Lowering and the Niemczañsko-Strzeliñskie Hills (southeastern part of Lower Silesia; ATPOL: BF81; Fig. 2). The station elevation is c. 325 m a.s.l. on the slope of inclination up to 15 o. Botrychium matricariifolium is an element of the transitional community, where the species of the Festuco-Brometea Br. Bl. et R. Tx. 1943 and the Koelerio glaucae-corynephoretea canescentis Klika in Klika et Novak 1941 classes dominate. The contribution of pasture and meadow plants from the Nardo- Callunetea Prsg 1949 and the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea R. Tx. 1937 syntaxa is also considerably high (Fig. 3). However, proportions of the species representing particular classes differ when the summed cover rate is considered. Plants Fig. 2. Location of a new population of Botrychium matricariifolium in Silesia Ryc. 2. Lokalizacja nowego stanowiska Botrychium matricariifolium na Œl¹sku of the xerothermophilous swards Festuco-Brometea dominate, but the species of nutrient-deficient pastures Nardo-Callunetea, rocky vegetation Sedo- Scleranthetalia Br.-Bl. 1955 and anthropogenic communities of Artemisietea vulgaris Lohm., Prsg et R. Tx. 1950 are also numerous (Fig. 4). The species composition of the community patch, where the specimen of Botrychium matricariifolium was noted, is given below in a relevé.

209 A-new-locality-of-Botrychium-matricariifolium-in-the-Sudeten-Foreland 209 7 6 Number of species 5 4 3 2 1 0 FB KC NC SS MA AV EA SM QP Syntaxon Fig. 3. The species richness of the synecological groups Ryc. 3. Udzia³ gatunków z grup synekologicznych FB Festuco-Brometea, KC Koelerio-Corynephoretea, NC Nardo-Callunetea, SS Sedo-Scleranthetalia, MA Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, AV Artemisietea vulgaris, EA Epilobietea angustifolii, SM Stellarietea mediae, QO Quercetea robori-petraeae 30 25 Cover [%] 20 15 10 5 0 FB KC NC SS MA AV EA SM QP Syntaxon Fig. 4. The cover rate of the species from the synecological groups Ryc. 4. Pokrycie gatunków z grup synekologicznych FB Festuco-Brometea, KC Koelerio-Corynephoretea, NC Nardo-Callunetea, SS Sedo-Scleranthetalia, MA Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, AV Artemisietea vulgaris, EA Epilobietea angustifolii, SM Stellarietea mediae, QO Quercetea robori-petraeae

210 Sylwia-Nowak,-Arkadiusz-Nowak 210 Date (data): 23.05.2008; Altitude (a.s.l.) (wysokoœæ n.p.m.): 325 m; area (powierzchnia): 5 m 2 ; cover of shrubs (zwarcie warstwy krzaków) b 5%; cover of herbs (pokrycie warstwy zielnej) c 95%; cover of lichens (pokrycie warstwy porostów) d 10%; species number (liczba gatunków) 28; Layer b: Sarothamnus scoparius 1; Layer c: Botrychium matricariifolium r, Festuca ovina 2, Tanacetum vulgare 2, Thymus pulegioides 2, Arrhenatherum elatius 1, Achillea millefolium 1, Calamagrostis epigejos 1, Galium verum 1, Plantago lanceolata 1, Rumex acetosella 1, Vicia hirsuta 1, Viscaria vulgaris 1, Cerastium arvense +, Erigeron annuus +, Euphrasia stricta +, Festuca psammophila +, Hieracium pilosella +, Luzula campestris +, Myosotis stricta +, Pimpinella saxifraga +, Rosa sp. +, Sarothamnus scoparius +, Trifolium arvense +, Vicia lathyroides +, Erigeron acris r, Quercus sp. r; Layer d: Cladonia fimbriata 1, Cladonia furcata 1. 3. Conservation remarks The newly found population of this rare fern species seems not to be significantly threatened by human impact. The mining activity in neighbourhood, especially the gneiss exploitation is not going to encroach on the highest part of the hill. The location in a hardly accessible area, far from the human settlements, is a warranty of its long persistence. The only threat factor for B. matricariifolium could be a natural succession. The shrubs like Prunus spinosa, Crataegus sp., Sarothamnus scoparius and a grass species Calamagrostis epigejos expand from the slope-foot of the hill to its top. At present, Calamagrostis effectively enlarge its range as well as the participation in the phytocoenoses, in many places creating almost monotypic communities. Another endangerment comes from animals like hoofed mammals or molluscs, which are herbivorous. References BOBROWICZ G., NARKIEWICZ CZ., SZCZÊŒNIAK E. 2004. Wystêpowanie Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch (Ophioglossaceae) na Dolnym Œl¹sku. Acta Botanica Silesiaca 1: 161 166. BRAUN-BLANQUET J.1964. Pflanzensoziologie, Grundzüge der Vegetationskunde, 3 Aufl. Springer Verlag, Wien-New York, 865 pp. CHRTKOVÁ A. 1997. Botrychium matricariifolium A. Braun - vratièka heømánkolistá. In: HEJNÝ S., SLAVÍK B. (eds), Kvìtena Èeské Republiky, 1. Academia, Praha, p. 227 228. FA TYNOWICZ W. 2003. The lichens, lichenicolous and allied fungi of Poland. An annotated checklist. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, 435 pp.

211 A-new-locality-of-Botrychium-matricariifolium-in-the-Sudeten-Foreland 211 K CKI Z., DAJDOK Z., SZCZÊŒNIAK E. 2003. Czerwona lista roœlin naczyniowych Dolnego Œl¹ska. In: K CKI Z. (ed.), Zagro one gatunki flory naczyniowej Dolnego Œl¹ska. Instytut Biologii Roœlin Uniwersytetu Wroc³awskiego, PTOP pronatura, Wroc³aw, p. 9 65. KORNECK D., SCHNITTLER M., VOLLMER I. 1996. Rote Liste der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen (Pteridophyta et Spermatophyta) Deutschlands. In: LUDWIG G., SCHNITTLER M. (eds), Rote Liste gefährdeter Pflanzen Deutschlands. Schriftenreihe für Vegetationskunde 28. Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn- Bad Godesberg, p. 21 187. MATUSZKIEWICZ W. 2001. Przewodnik do oznaczania zbiorowisk roœlinnych Polski. Vademecum Geobotanicum, 3. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 537 pp. MEUSEL H., JÄGER E., WEINERT E. 1965. Vergleichende Chorologie der Zentraleuro-päischen Flora, Bd. 1. G. Fischer Verl., Jena. MIREK Z., PIÊKOŒ-MIRKOWA H., ZAJ C A., ZAJ C M. 2002. Flowering Plants and Pteridophytes of Poland. A Checklist. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, 442 pp. NOWAK A., NOWAK S., SPA EK K. 2003. Red list of vascular plants of Opole Province. Nature Journal 36: 5 20. OBERDORFER E. 1994. Pflanzensoziologische Exkursionsflora, 7 Auflage. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1050 pp. POTT R. 1995. Die Pflanzengesellschaften Deutschlands. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 623 pp. PROCHÁZKA F. (ed.) 2001. Èerný a èervený seznam cévnatých rostlin Èeské republiky (stav v roce 2000). Pøíroda 18: 1 166, Praha. SCHUBE T. 1903. Die Verbreitung der Gefässpflanzen in Schlesien, preussischen und österreichischen Anteils. von R. Nischowsky, Breslau, 361 pp. SCHUBERT R., HILBIG W., KLOTZ S. 1995. Bestimmungsbuch der Pflanzengesellschaften Mittel- und Nordostdeutschlands. G. Fischer, Jena-Stuttgart, 404 pp. SZCZÊŒNIAK E. 2001. Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch - PodejŸrzon marunowy. In: KA MIERCZAKOWA R., ZARZYCKI K. (eds), Polska Czerwona Ksiêga Roœlin. Paprotniki i roœliny kwiatowe. Polska Akademia Nauk, Instytut Botaniki im. W. Szafera, Instytut Ochrony Przyrody, Kraków, p. 41 43. SZCZÊŒNIAK E. 2002. PodejŸrzon marunowy Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch. In: NOWAK A., SPA EK K. (eds), Czerwona Ksiêga Roœlin Województwa Opolskiego. Roœliny naczyniowe wymar³e, zagro one i rzadkie. Opolskie Towarzystwo Przyjació³ Nauk, Œl¹skie Wydawnictwo ADAN, Opole, p. 90. VALACHOVIÈ M. (ed.) 1995. Rastlinné spoleèenstvá Slovenska, 1. Pionierska vegetácia. Slov. Acad. Vied Bratislava, 184 pp. ZAJ C A. 1978. Za³o enia metodyczne Atlasu rozmieszczenia roœlin naczyniowych w Polsce. Wiad. Bot. 22(3): 145 155.

212 Sylwia-Nowak,-Arkadiusz-Nowak 212 ZAJ C A., ZAJ C M. (eds) 2001. Atlas rozmieszczenia roœlin naczyniowych w Polsce. Pracownia Chorologii Komputerowej Instytutu Botaniki Uniwersytetu Jagielloñskiego, Kraków, xii+714 pp. ZARZYCKI K., SZEL G Z. 2006. Red list of the vascular plants in Poland. In: MIREK Z., ZARZYCKI K., WOJEWODA W., SZEL G Z. (eds), Red list of plants and fungi in Poland. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, p. 9 20. Nowe stanowisko Botrychium matricariifolium (Retz.) A. Braun ex W. D. J. Koch na Przedgórzu Sudeckim W pracy przedstawiono warunki wystêpowania Botrychium matricariifolium na nowoodkrytym stanowisku na granicy Wzgórz Niemczañsko-Strzeliñskich i Obni enia Otmuchowskiego w pobli u miejscowoœci Pomianów Górny (Dolny Œl¹sk). PodejŸrzon roœnie tu na po³udniowym stoku wzgórza o nachyleniu ok. 15 o, na wysokoœci 325 m n.p.m. (ATPOL: BF81). Na stanowisku odnotowano jeden osobnik paproci. W zbiorowisku dominuj¹ gatunki z klas Festuco- Brometea i Koelerio glaucae-corynephoretea canescentis. Stosunkowo wysoki jest równie udzia³ roœlin reprezentuj¹cych bliÿniczyska Nardo-Callunetea i ³¹ki Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. Mimo i w s¹siedztwie stanowiska Botrychium matricariifolium prowadzona jest dzia³alnoœæ górnicza, nie powoduje ona istotnych zagro eñ dla populacji podejÿrzona. Znacznie bardziej niebezpieczna jest sukcesja, przejawiaj¹ca siê w zarastaniu muraw przez krzewy, takie jak Sarothamnus scoparius, Prunus spinosa, Crataegus sp., a tak e przez trawê Calamagrostis epigejos. Gatunki te w szybkim czasie mog¹ doprowadziæ do znacz¹cych zmian warunków siedliskowych i w konsekwencji do zaniku podejÿrzona.