Classification of Inland Bolboschoenus-dominated Vegetation in Central Europe.

Central European inland vegetation dominated by Bolboschoenus species was newly classified, based on current knowledge of taxonomic differentiation within the Bolboschoenus maritimus-complex. Altogether 225 phytosociological releves from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Austria were analysed. Bolboschoenus-dominated vegetation is found in a broad range of both freshwater and saline habitats. Individual Bolboschoenus species grow in different habitats with different species composition. The freshwater vegetation, dominated by B. yagara, B. laticarpus and B. planiculmis, reflects ecological differentiation of these species from base-poor to alkaline Substrates, and from littoral habitats to ternporarily flooded depressions. The following freshwater associations were distinguished: Phalarido arundinaceae-Bolboschoenetum laticarpi Passarge 1999 corr. Krumbiegel 2006, concentrated in large river floodplains, Bolboschoenetum yagarae Eggler 1933 corr. Hroudova et al. 2009, typical of the littoral zone of fishponds on base-poor bedrocks, and Tripleurospermo inodori-Bolboschoenetum planiculmis Hroudova et al. 2009, occurring mainly in temporarily flooded depressions on arable land. Saline vegetation is dominated by Bolboschoenus maritimus s. str. The alliance Cirsio brachycephali-Bolboschoenion compacti (Passarge 1978) Mucina in Balatova-Tulackova et al. 1993, previously interpreted as vegetation of inland saline marshes, actually relates to freshwater Bolboschoenus vegetation. Therefore a new alliance, Meliloto dentati-Bolboschoenion maritimi Hroudova et al. 2009, is proposed here to include saline reed vegetation of continental areas.