Chasmophytic vegetation of silicate rocks on the southern outcrops of the Alps in Slovenia

Applying the standard central-European method we studied the chasmophytic vegetation of the silicate rocks on the southern outcrops of the Alps in the territory of Slovenia, in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the eastern Karavanke mountains, on Mt. Kozjak and the Pohorje mountains. Three communities of the order Androsacetalia vandellii (Asplenietea trichomanis) were recognized: Campanulo cochleariifoliae-Primuletum villosae ass. nova (Androsacion vandellii), Woodsio ilvensis-Asplenietum septentrionalis (Asplenion septentrionalis) and Hypno-Polypodietum (Hypno-Polypodion vulgaris). The communities are distinguished by altitude, light intensity, temperature and the number of endemic species, south-European orophytes or cosmopolite species. Altitude is a significant factor affecting the floristic composition of the studied vegetation.