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Bruchia flexuosa (Schwägr.) Müll. Hal. a true peculiarity in the Hungarian bryoflora
193-201Views:105The fifth European occurrence of the moss species Bruchia flexuosa possessing a holarctic distribution range with a North American centre was encountered in Hungary. Outside of the North American continent only two Asian (both from Japan) and four European occurrences from four different countries (Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia) have hitherto been reported. Apart from the recent Japan findings and the Croatian record observed in 1987, all other European records date back to the 19th century. Our paper reports the circumstances of the Hungarian occurrence along with a short descriptions and photographic illustrations of both the species and its habitat.
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Cardamine occulta Hornem. in Hungary, and other stowaways of the ornamental plant trade
195–214Views:405During the study of the weed flora of garden centers in Hungary (among 2017–2020), remarkable populations of Cardamine occulta Hornem., a new alien for the Hungarian flora were found. C. occulta was present altogether in 51 of the 53 visited sites. Dominantly the regularly irrigated and continuously moist microhabitats (pots, containers, muddy surfaces of geotextile-covered beds etc.) were colonized. During the revision of our recently collected specimens, deposited in JPU and DE herbaria as Cardamine hirsuta L., further individuals proved to identical with this till overlooked species. One of them (27.08.2004., Heves county: Eger [8088.3; 8188.1], coll. by A. Schmotzer, deposited in DE collection) proved to the third documented occurrence in Europe, comparing to the accessed literature data. Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and Urtica membranacea Poir. are also new aliens for the Hungarian flora. Several introduced individuals of these taxa were found in containers of imported thermophilous woody ornamentals at 4 and 2 sites, respectively. Tens of individuals of Eclipta prostrata were also found in a sapling-bed at another site. New populations of scarce or rare Euphorbia prostrata Aiton, E. serpens Kunth and Veronica peregrina L. were also documented.
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Disappearing botanical and cultural heritage of wooden headboard-graveyards in Eastern-Hungary and Transylvania (Romania)
51-64Views:123Degradation or disappearance of natural habitats are global phenomena nowadays, hence the role of small and secondary (seminatural) habitats like cemeteries in preserving natural values are more and more appreciated. The botanical values and burial customs were examined in a total of 51 graveyards in three different regions of Hungary and Romania (10, 19 and 22 graveyards in the North Hungarian Mountains, the Great Hungarian Plain and Transylvania, respectively). Altogether 25 in Hungary legally protected plant species were found, 1.5 protected species per graveyard on average. As we observed, traditional burials with wooden headboards are rapidly superseded by modern burial customs. Based on our non-representative poll (n=102), 90% of citizens on average are satisfied with current conditions in Hungarian graveyards. A two-thirds majority of respondents would prefer more frequent lawn-mowing in graveyards. 75% of respondents prefer modern tombs to traditional graves. Disappearance of old burial customs characterised by the use of wooden headboards (and the simultaneous change in traditional, habitat-friendly practices in graveyards) means not only a loss of cultural values, but threatens the natural biodiversity of graveyards as well.
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Occurrences of sea lyme grass (Leymus arenarius) in the Kiskunság, Hungary
106-108Views:216We present six new occurrences of a rare non-native species, the sea lyme grass (Leymus arenarius (L.) Hochst.) in the Kiskunság region, Hungary. The populations grow in disturbed, secondary habitats (e.g., abandoned fields, recultivated landfills, surroundings of farms), but one of them begins to expand on the adjacent natural open sandy grassland. Most of the occurrences occupy several hundred square meters and in some cases it forms almost monodominant stands. We suppose that the species has the potential to become an invasive species in this inland sand region.
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Najas gracillima (A. Braun ex Engelmann) Magnus in Hungary
43-49Views:56Najas gracillima, an introduced species to Europe, naturally occurs in East-Asia and NorthAmerica. It was firstly discovered in Hungary in 2012 in our weed survey of rice fields in the vicinity of Szarvas, Gyomaendrőd and Mezőtúr. Although, it occurred in relatively high abundances in the rice fields along the Körös river its invasion is not expected into new habitats in the near future due to its special habitat preference and gregariousness.
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Hungarian localities of Himantoglossum adriaticum and its land-use history
84–94Views:144Himantoglossum adriaticum H. Baumann is a Natura 2000, CITES species and strictly protected plant in Hungary. During my field work (1992–2016) I realized some similarities in the characteristics of the habitats where the plant grows, so I wanted to know the land use history of the areas in question. The H. adriaticum population of Keszthely Hills was studied the longest time. There were annually 7–78 inflorescences between 1992–2016. Recently two further localities were found in Keszthely Hills. They grow in the edges of grasses used earlier as pasture, minor roadside verges and nearby abandoned vineyards. The largest population can be found in Sümeg region, majority of the individuals are along a paved road. Among the estimated 1000–2000 individuals 10 (2012) to 214 (2014) flowered. In Kőszeg, the lizard orchid grows in abandoned vineyards and in old traditional orchards. The maximum number of inflorescences was 165 (2016). In Bakony Hills its habitats are vineyards and orchards abandoned approximately 50 years ago. The size of H. adriaticum population here is nearly the same as in the Keszthely Hills. Four out of the five populations are growing on sites used as vineyard or orchard already in the years of the First Military Survey. The only exception is the population of Sümeg region. Every habitat is threatened by spontaneous forestation, but the species is able to find new habitats, so we do not worry about the drastic decline of the individuals in Hungary.
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Data to the flora of Hungary I.
254-259Views:50The paper gives new floristic data from several regions of Hungary. Some of them are recent evidences of old data (e.g. Herniaria incana in Pomáz), others are new occurrences of recently expanding alien species (e.g. Eleusine indica, Geranium purpureum, Typha laxmannii), casual species (e.g. Lobularia maritima, Nepeta racemosa) or legally protected taxa (e.g. Agrostemma githago, Ornithogalum brevistylum, Ranunculus illyricus, Sonchus palustris).
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The degradation of hygrophilous plant associations of the Nyárjas Lake (E Hungary)
63–77Views:93The Nyárjas Lake (located near Kállósemjén, East Hungary) was one of the most typical bogs in the Nyírség until the early 1980’s. Most of its area was covered by the association of Carici-Menyanthetum. The number of species characteristic to the mentioned association was generally high. As the climate became drier, hotter and were characterised by higher magnitude of extremities, the water coverage became no longer as permanent. This resulted that the Menyanthes trifoliata and Listera ovata became extinct by 2000. Lemno-Potamea species were not found after 2010. Bidentetalia, Calystegietalia, Chenopodietea and Secalietea species became more prevalent, particularly in drier periods, and locations where Carici-Menyanthetum used to be characteristic. Cirsium arvense in the mid-1990’s and that of Urtica dioica in the mid-2010’s became dramatically abundant. Both the number and coverage of species indicating habitat degradation have increased. The composition of wet meadow plant associations shifted towards the drier Arrhenatheretea. A moderate revitalisation of wetland associations was, however, observed coinciding years with higher precipitation.
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The biases of floristic surveys I. Naive planters: “cuckoo” of the Medves (N Hungary)
207-217Views:105The aim of the planned thematic studies is to point out the main biases and/or errors of floristic surveys in Hungary. In this first article of the series we focus on those examples when native species were planted out of their original habitats and/or range by a non-professional naturalist. The sources of information are those letters that were posted by Ferenc Varga to the first author of this article in 2005. The circumstances of the transplantation of 10 phytogeographycally significant species of the investigated area and/or the Pannonicum (Adonis vernalis, Arum orientale, Asarum europaeum, Genista germanica, Phragmites australis, Pulsatilla grandis, P. nigricans, Salvia aethiopis, Viola alba, Xeranthemum annuum) are detailed in the text and summarised in a table. The correspondence between the first author and Ferenc Varga provides insight how the ambition of a non-professional naturalist can influence the flora of an area. Most of the species were removed from South and transplanted to North, almost 10 km away from their original stands. With the exception of Adonis vernalis and Genista germanica at least one transplantation of the species was successful. In the case of Salvia aethiopis, the naturalized populations came 1.25 km close to Slovakia, where this species is a very rare and endangered (EN) taxon.
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The Wildflower of the Year campaign in Hungary
349-353Views:79The paper summarizes the previous history and recent purposes of the ‘Wildflower of the Year’ initiation, established in 2011. The main aim of this initiation is the promotion and familiarization of Hungarian flora, applying a public awareness campaign about the beauty, importance and ecological value of our spectacular wild plants. The ’Wildflower of the Year’ is selected by voting on internet (www.evvadviraga.hu). Starting from this volume the journal Kitaibelia publishes a monograph about the wildflower of the previous year.
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Dr. Antal Waisbecker was born 180 years ago
179–192Views:130Dr. Antal Waisbecker (1835–1916) was a Hungarian physician and the most prominent botanist of Vas county (West Hungary) at the turn of the 19–20th century. He contributed with important floristic data for the botanical monography of Vas county, authored by Vince Borbás. He processed the pteridophytes of Vas county and cormophytes in the surroundings of Kőszeg. Antal Waisbecker was an expert in the knowledge of sedges too. He discovered and described the Carex fritschii. Remarkable amount of herbarium specimens collected by Waisbecker are deposited at the Savaria Museum (Szombathely, SAMU) and Hungarian Natural History Museum (Budapest, BP).
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Short communications
404–411Views:1771. Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in the Buda Arboretum
2. Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm. in the West-Transdanubia (W Hungary)
3. Yucca filamentosa L. in the South-Nyírség (E Hungary)
4. New occurrences of Chamaecytisus rochelii (Wierzb.) Rothm. on the Hungarian Great Plain and corrections on its previous occurrence data
5. Hybrid birch (Betula ×rhombifolia Tausch.) in the central part of Mátra Mountains
6. A csipkés gyöngyvessző (Spiraea crenata L.) újabb temetői előfordulása / A new occurrence of Spiraea crenata L. in a Hungarian graveyard
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Mondró-halom kurgan (Hencida, East Hungary), a refugium of loess grassland vegetation
143-149Views:469Fragments of the natural grassland vegetation are often preserved only in those areas which are inadequate for arable farming. In many cases kurgans hold the last remnants of dry grasslands in lowland areas, like the Great Hungarian Plain. They also have an essential role in preserving cultural and landscape values. Moreover, they harbour several rare plant and animal species. Our aim was to explore the vegetation of the Mondró-halom kurgan (Hencida, East Hungary). Altogether we found 74 vascular plant species in the loess grassland of the kurgan. Several rare species of the Bihari-sík region, such as Inula germanica, Ranunculus illyricus and Rosa gallica were also detected. The steep slopes of the kurgan with various micro-sites and exposures supported a species-rich vegetation. Instead of its small area it harboured several forest steppic species and several steppic flora elements (Continental, Pontic-Mediterranean, Pontic, Pontic-Pannonic and Turanian).
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The clammy goosefoot (Chenopodium pumilio R.BR.) in Zugló (Budapest) and new data on the distribution of invasive species in NE Hungary
221-226Views:95The paper summarise occurrences of some rare invasive weeds of Hungary. We found currently second population at the Australian origin Chenopodium pumilio in Budapest (Zugló) in September 2016. Further, 27 occurrence data of 8 other species (Amaranthus deflexus, Echium maculatum, Lepidium densiflorum, Oxybaphus nyctagineus, Panicum dichotomiflorum, Portulaca grandiflora, Sarothamnus scoparius, Tragus racemosus) is also reported in the persent paper from the ‘Északi-középhegyég’ area (Northeast-Hungary), and some data from beside the Hungarian–Slovakian border, especially settlements, strongly disturbed places (especially road curbs, pavement cracks, train stations), indicating the Central European flora mapping system quadrate number. Voucher specimens were deposited in herbarium of Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest (BP).
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Astragalus vesicarius and other new taxa to the flora of the Vértes Mountains (Hungary, Transdanubian Mts)
195–199Views:152A conservation survey on the condition of steppe and forest-steppe habitats in the Vértes Mts revealed several plant species from the flora of the area that have not been reported before. From a phytogeographical point of view, the most important is Astragalus vesicarius, whose small population in the Vértes fits very well into the native distribution pattern of the species in Hungary. Another important steppe plant is Stipa dasyphylla, which is found in two locations in the Vértes Mts. Besides other taxa of conservation interest (Orobanche teucrii, Phelipanche purpurea, Rosa hungarica), some under-recorded species (Cerastium tenoreanum, Stellaria pallida), and some spreading weeds (Elymus elongatus, Euphorbia lathyris) enrich our knowledge of the flora of the area.
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New Epipactis species in the flora of the Vértes Mts
104-105Views:204Here, I report Epipactis occurrences new to the flora of the Vértes Mts (Transdanubian Mts, north-western Hungary). In 2020, new populations of Epipactis pontica Taubenheim, E. moravica Batoušek and E. pseudopurpurata Mered’a were found in old mesic beech and mixed beech forests.
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Recent Hungarian distribution of Potamogeton coloratus
77–83Views:135The distribution of fen pondweed (Potamogeton coloratus) restricted to Europe where it is one of the rarest and most threatened pondweed species. In Hungary, former data of fen pondweed originated mostly from thermal and karstic springs. Due to intensive bauxite mining activity in the edge of the Transdanubian Mountain Range (NW Hungary) these springs dried up by the end of the 20th century, and it caused the temporal extinction of the species. After the ceasing of mining activity many of the former karstic springs have regenerated and several fen pondweed populations have re-established. In this paper we summarized 18 population data of fen pondweed collected between 1999 and 2016. Many of them were formerly registered in the 19th century too. Most of the new and re-discovered populations were found in karstic springs or in artificial and natural lakes in the vicinity of these springs.
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Short communications
106–111Views:1981. New localities of Fumana procumbens in the North Hungarian Mountains
2. Strong populations of dwarf heliotrope (Heliotropium supinum) at Pentezug Wild Horse Reserve (Hortobágy, Great Hungarian Plain)
3. New occurrences of Chamaecytisus rochelii on the Great Hungarian Plain
4. Spontaneous occurrences of Daphne laureola in urban parks
5. Occurrence of Lindernia procumbens and L. dubia in Budapest city (C Hungary)
6. Confirmation of occurrence of Moneses uniflora near Kőszeg town (W Hungary)
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New data on the Hungarian adventive flora: Acer opalus Mill. subsp. obtusatum (Waldst. et Kit. ex Willd.) Gams 1925 in Hungary
229-238Views:40Acer opalus Miller 1768 because of its complex taxonomic status can be interpreted as a collective species which contains several species and subspecies depending on different interpretations. An important adventive occurrence from this collective species was found in a forest that belongs to the Tétényi plateau (Budapest, 11th district) in July of 2009. It is proved to be Acer opalus Mill. subsp. obtusatum (Waldst. et Kit. ex Wild.) Gams. The natural range of the subspecies covers the eastern side of the central Mediterranean Sea region and western Balkan Peninsula. It is a submediterranean-mediterranean, thermophile, shade-tolerant taxon but often appears together lightdemanding species too. In its native range it occurs in beech, pine, sessile oak forests and in different types of dry oak forests as admixed tree species. The subspecies was found in a turkey oak – sessile oak community in Hungary. Several old, seed growing individuals live on the spot which have had continuous seed production. Therefore from the old trees to the young seedlings different age categories are represented.
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Rediscovery of Orchis mascula subsp. signifera (Vest) Soó in the Keszthely Mts (Transdanubia, Hungary)
51–54Views:120Orchis mascula subsp. signifera is a rare, legally protected and endangered species of the Hungarian flora. Currently it is recorded from 25 flora mapping grid cell in Hungary. The westernmost Hungarian occurrence of the species was documented by a voucher collected by Dénes Gotthárd in 1976. After four decades the occurrence of O. mascula in the Keszthely Mts was confirmed in 2015. The local habitat preference and major threats to the taxon are briefly discussed.
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Data to the flora and vegetation of Hungary III.
197-206Views:137We report the occurrence data of 44 vascular plant taxa collected at various localities in Hungary (mainly the Danube–Tisza Interfluve and South Transdanubia) during floristic, vegetation and ecological field surveys between 2016 and 2018. Of the species in the present article, 27 are protected or strictly protected. In the paper we focused on plants that are rare regionally (e.g. Botrychium lunaria, Polystichum aculeatum) or in the whole country (e.g. Ophrys oestrifera, Ranunculus psilostachys), as well as on plants that occurred in unusual habitats (e.g. Corydalis solida). We also included new localities of weedy species, some of which (e.g. Opuntia humifusa, Sporobolus cryptandrus) may present nature conservation threats.
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Contributions to the Atlas Florae Hungariae V.
383–403Views:133The current paper is the 5th one in the series aiming to contribute with new distribution data to the distribution maps published recently in Atlas Florae Hungariae. Several distribution data of 360 plant taxa from 66 flora mapping units are published in this study. Most of them are from the South Transdanubia. As a result of systematic surveys, more than 30 new species were found in 6 flora mapping quadrates. Most of the species are frequent, treated usually as weeds, but some of them are rare (e.g. Anchusa azurea, Centunculus minimus, Euphorbia stricta, Hypericum humifusum, Sagina apetala), and in some cases they are legally protected species in Hungary (e.g. Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Dryopteris affinis, Festuca dalmatica, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Urtica kioviensis).
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Contributions to the flora of the Szuha watershed and adjacent territories (NE Hungary)
27-67Views:272This paper presents new floristic data of 415 taxa from the Putnok Hills and Sajó Valley microregions (Northern Hungary). Records were collected between 1991 and 2021. In the first part new occurrences of legally protected (e.g., Cypripedium calceolus, Iris aphylla subsp. hungarica, Lycopodium clavatum, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, Pyrola rotundifolia, Scorzonera purpurea, Stipa pulcherrima) and not protected but locally rare or data-deficient species (e.g., Myosurus minimus, Thalictrum simplex, Sisymbrium loeselii, Camelina microcarpa, Potentilla collina, Trifolium striatum, Geranium pratense, G. dissectum, G. divaricatum, Viola pumila, Epilobium roseum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Pimpinella major, Berula erecta, Trinia ramosissima, Centaurium pulchellum, Nepeta cataria, Limosella aquatica, Veronica scutellata, Orobanche arenaria, Utricularia vulgaris, Galium elongatum, Cephalaria transsylvanica, Dipsacus fullonum, Xanthium saccharatum, Alisma lanceolatum, Elodea canadensis, Potamogeton pectinatus, P. berchtoldii, P. lucens, P. nodosus, Zannichellia palustris, Sisyrinchium bermudiana, Melica picta, Elymus elongatus, Leersia oryzoides, Typha laxmannii, Eriochloa villosa) are presented. This chapter contains data on 246 species from which 8 are new for the flora of the Tornense flora region and 47 for its subregion, the Putnok Hills. Further contributions to the distribution data of Atlas Florae Hungariae are presented in Electronic Appendix. This section contains raw occurrence data of 169 species.
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Data on the pioneer vegetation of the Lake Velence
203–208Views:144Lake Velence is one of Hungary's largest saline lakes. Part of its natural dynamics is that certain parts of the lake bed regularly dry out, providing pioneer surfaces suitable for the emergence of plants of the mudflats and drying (saline) ponds. During the particularly dry year of 2022, the water level was permanently and significantly low, allowing to study the vegetation of the dry lake bed. In the first half of the last century, the natural vegetation of the lakeshore (including salt steppes) was studied, but there are very few records of the pioneer species of the lake bed. The salt steppes around the lake have now largely declined, but due to low water levels, some of their characteristic species are still present in the lake bed (though, usually in low number of individuals). Examples include Crypsis aculeata, Cyperus pannonicus, Suaeda pannonica, the once abundant Suaeda prostrata, and the previously rare Crypsis schoenoides and Spergularia salina. Spergularia maritima was once widespread but currently not found in the lake bed. Although, Schoenoplectus litoralis is not a member of the ephemeral vegetation, but is a characteristic plant of the littoral zone of Lake Velence. This species probably appeared therein the middle of the last century and is currently spreading.
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Fern (Pteridopsida) flora of South Nyírség (East Hungary)
162–182Views:342The study presents a number of new data on the fern flora of South Nyírség, and reviews all available literature and herbarium fern records from the area. A total of 19 Pteridopsida species were detected in the region. The hart's tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) and the soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum) were hitherto unknown in the whole Nyírség region (flora district “Nyírségense”). The broad buckler-fern (Dryopteris dilatata), scaly male fern (Dryopteris affinis) and floating fern (Salvinia natans) are new records to the area of South Nyírség. Dryopteris dilatata has been found in a surprisingly great number of localities. Some morphological characters facilitating identification of this species are also discussed. The local pine plantations, fens, carrs and humid deciduous forests are important habitats for ferns. In some localities the co-occurrence of 5-6 fern species were observed. The increasing aridity in the last decade is posing a serious threat to ferns in the area.