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Reseda inodora Rchb. in the Tiszántúl region (East Hungary)
48-54Views:155On 14 August 2012 a small population of Reseda inodora was found in Hegyes-halom kurgan within the administrative boundaries of the town of Mindszent (Csongrád County, CEU: 9487.3). The approximately 50–100-stem-large population of the species lived on the edge of the kurgan, on the sparsely vegetated, weedy fieldmargin. On 19 July 2014 this species has turned up again in this area. In this case it was the biggest amount with some hundred stems and was located on the edge of the mound, which is in the verge of the neighbouring corn field. The Reseda inodora is a new recent protected vascular plant species within the operation area of the Körös–Maros National Park. We propose this species to be included in the regional red list in the category of „CR” (Critically endangered). Other rare weed or pioneer species (Caucalis platycarpos subsp. muricata and subsp. platycarpos, Erodium ciconium, Lappula squarrosa, Melica transsilvanica, Papaver hybridum) have already been found in Hegyes-halom kurgan in the last few years. The results show the importance of kurgans not only in the conservation of natural steppe, loess wall vegetation and steppe shrub species, but in the survival of some endangered weed species as well (e.g. some rare archaeophytes).
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Contributions to the flora of kurgans in the Middle Tisza region
94–105Views:541Kurgans are ancient burial mounds built by nomadic steppic cultures. Embedded in the heavily transformed landscapes of the Carpathian Basin they often serve as last refuges for rare and endangered plant species. In our paper we publish floristic data collected on 82 kurgans located in the area of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate. Our dataset covers 64 CEU quarter quadrates, and the territory of 45 settlements. We provide data on 39 taxa that are either protected (e.g. Anchusa barrelieri, Centaurea solstitialis, Ranunculus illyricus and Phlomis tuberosa) or regionally rare (e.g. Aegilops cylindrica, Astragalus austriacus, Glaucium corniculatum and Trifolium diffusum). Our records demonstrate that kurgans have a vital role in maintaining the populations of rare and endangered grassland species even in transformed landscapes.
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Botanical comparison of man-made landforms in the Nagykunság and Nagy-Sárrét regions (E Hungary)
65-76Views:207Loess grasslands are among the most important vegetation types of the Great Hungarian Plain. This paper compares the composition of vegetation situated on three types of man-made landforms (burial mounds, Devil’s dykes and river dikes) which were built in different historical times. I studied the similarities and differences in their vegetation, focusing on the rare species and plant associations. I studied six burial mounds, two Devil’s dykes and four river dikes. All of the studied landforms were covered by loess steppes, loess cliffs or Artemisia salt steppes. Devil’s dykes had the most valuable vegetation and they preserve a very diverse flora in the landscape.
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Mondró-halom kurgan (Hencida, East Hungary), a refugium of loess grassland vegetation
143-149Views:503Fragments 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).