Plant communities of moist rock crevices with endemic Primula carniolica in the (sub)montane belt of western Slovenia

Abstract Based on our analysis of a large number of relevés of communities of moist rock crevices in western Slovenia (southern Julian Alps, northern part of the Trnovski Gozd Plateau) we described several new syntaxa with the endemic Primula carniolica. The most unique in terms of ecology is a hygrophytic chasmophytic community classified into the association Astrantio carniolicae-Primuletum carniolicae, which is, together with similar hygrophytic associations Astrantio carniolicae-Pinguiculetum alpinae and Campanulo cespitosae-Saxifragetum aizoidis, associations Phyteumato columnae-Primuletum carniolicae, Primulo carniolicae-Potentilletum clusianae and the subassociation Primuletum carniolicae violetosum biflorae, temporarily classified into the alliance Cystopteridion and order Potentilletalia caulescentis. Only the new association Paederoto luteae-Potentilletum caulescentis is classified into the alliance Physoplexido comosae-Saxifragion petraeae. The elevational range of chasmophytic communities with Primula carniolica is 200 to 1460 m a.s.l. Species that most commonly accompany Primula carniolica in rock crevices include Paederota lutea, Phyteuma scheuchzeri subsp. columnae, Sesleria caerulea, Aster bellidiastrum and moss Orthothecium rufescens.