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recently described for the Tyrrhenian side of Madonie and Nebrodi (Gianguzzi et al., 2015).
The vegetation aspects of the Cytisetea scopario-striati class concern: - the Calicotomo

infestae-Adenocarpetum commutati, coenosis tied to the mountain area of the Peloritani Mts.
(Bartolo et al., 1994; Guarino, 1998); - Spartiumjunceum broom communities, widespread in
the hilly and submountain belt of the central-northern part of Sicily; - Calicotome infesta
broom communities, widespread in hilly and submountain areas of Sicily, including the Pyro
amygdaliformis-Calicotometum infestae, indicated for the Nebrodi and the Peloritani Mts., as
well as for the Hyblean Mts. area (Brullo et al., 2009; Gianguzzi & La Mantia, 2008).

14. Grasslands of the xeric-mediterranean belt (cl. Lygeo-Stipetea and Artemisietea vulgaris)
with predominance of: a) Hyparrhenia hirta (all. Hyparrhenion hirtae, ord. Hyparrhenietalia
hirtae, cl. Lygeo-Stipetea); b) nitrophilous-ruderal species (all. Bromo-Oryzopsion miliaceae,
ord. Brachypodio ramosi-Dactyletalia hispanicae, cl. Artemisietea vulgaris); c)
Brachypodium retusum (all. Thero-Brachypodion ramosi, ord. Brachypodio ramosi-
Dactyletalia hispanicae, cl. Artemisietea vulgaris); d) pioneer species of badlands areas (all.
Moricandio-Lygeion sparti, ord. Lygeo-Stipetalia, cl. Lygeo-Stipetea); e) Arundo collina (all.
Arundion collinae, ord. Agropyretalia intermedii-repentis, cl. Artemisietea vulgaris)

EUNIS Codes: El.3135, El.3136, El.3137, El.422, E l.432, El.433, El.4343; Natura 2000 Codes: 6220*

Secondary grasslands dominated by perennial caespitose grarninaceous plants are established
in coastal and hilly areas (Figures S8c-e-f), in more or less xeric habitats ranging from the
infra- and mesomediterranean bioclimatic belts (Brullo, Scelsi, & Spampinato, 2001), tied to
vegetation series belonging to various woodland communities of the Quercetea ilicis class
(Rivas-Martinez et al., 2002; Rivas-Martinez, Fernàndez-Gonzàlez, Loidi, Lousa, & Penas,
2001). These vegetation aspects are framed within the Lygeo-Stipetea and Artemisietea
vulgaris classes (Brullo et al., 2010; C. Brullo, S. Brullo, Giusso del Galdo, & Tomaselli,
2006; Brullo, 1984b; Brullo, De Marco, & Signorello, 1990; Brullo et al., 2009; Brullo,
Minissale, & Spampinato, 2000; Brullo, Scelsi, & Spampinato, 1997, 2001; Brullo &
Siracusa, 2000; Minissale, 1995), in turo divided as follows: a) Hyparrhenia hirta grasslands
(order Hyparrhenietalia: alliance Hyparrhenion hirtae); b) nitrophilous-ruderal grasslands
(class Artemisietea vulgaris, order Brachypodio-Dactyletalia hispanicae: alliance Bromo-
Oryzopsion miliaceae); c) Brachypodium retusum grasslands (class Artemisietea vulgaris,
order Brachypodio-Dactyletalia hispanicae: alliance Thero-Brachypodion ramosi); d) pioneer
grasslands of badland areas (order Lygeo-Stipetalia: alliance Moricandio-Lygeion spartì); e)
Arundo collina grasslands (class Artemisietea vulgaris, order Agropyretalia intermedii-
repentis: alliance Arundion collinae).

Moreover, ephemeral vegetation aspects dominated by therophytes fall within these
grasslands, mainly ascribed to various syntaxa of the Tuberarietea guttatae class (Brullo &
Marcenò, 1976a, b; Brullo, Marcenò, Minissale, & Spampinato, 1989; Brullo, Scelsi, &
Siracusa, 1994; Brullo, Scelsi, & Spampinato, 2001; etc.).

15. Grasslands of the hilly and sub-mountain belt (cl. Lygeo-Stipetea), with predominance of
Ampelodesmos mauritanicus: Helictotricho-Ampelodesmetum (North-West Sicily), Astragalo-
Ampelodesmetum (Nebrodi Mts.), Galio-Ampelodesmetum (Peloritani Mts.), Seselio-
Ampelodesmetum (Eastem Sicily) Helichryso hyblaei-Ampelodesmetum (Hyblean Mts.),
Astragalo-Ampelodesmetum (Centrai and Southern Sicily)

EUNIS Code: El.433; Natura 2000 Code: 6220*