Distributions of vascular plants in the Czech Republic. Part 8

The eighth part of the series on the distributions of vascular plants in the Czech Republic includes grid maps of 106 taxa in the genera Abutilon, Achillea, Arctium, Arenaria, Arnoseris, Carex, Chamaecytisus, Cornus, Diphasiastrum, Echinops, Galeopsis, Galium, Huperzia, Isoëtes, Lycopodiella, Lycopodium, Moehringia, Orobanche, Phelipanche, Prunus, Ranunculus, Selaginella, Stachys, Telekia, Typha and Zannichellia. These maps were produced by taxonomic experts based on examined herbarium specimens, literature and field records. Many of the studied native species are on the national Red List. They are represented by plants that are rare in the Czech Republic, in extreme cases confined to single sites (Arenaria grandiflora, Galium austriacum, Isoëtes echinospora, I. lacustris and Orobanche teucrii), or that have experienced a considerable decline (e.g. Arnoseris minima, Carex hordeistichos, C. secalina, Diphasiastrum tristachyum and Lycopodiella inundata), or a combination of both (e.g. Orobanche artemisiae-campestris, O. coerulescens, Phelipanche arenaria, Ph. caesia and Stachys germanica). Three species (Moehringia muscosa, Selaginella helvetica and Typha minima) have been extirpated from this country. Alien species are represented by both archaeophytes (e.g. Arctium lappa, A. tomentosum, Orobanche minor, Stachys annua and S. arvensis) and neophytes (e.g. Abutilon theophrasti and Typha laxmannii). Two species have become invasive: Echinops sphaerocephalus spreads mainly in dry and disturbed habitats along roads and railways in warm lowlands, whereas Telekia speciosa is now locally frequent in various habitats mainly at middle and high elevations. Echinops bannaticus is reported here as a new alien species in the Czech Republic that occasionally escapes from cultivation. Spatial distributions and often also temporal dynamics of individual taxa are shown in maps and documented by records included in the Pladias database and available in electronic appendices. The maps are accompanied by comments that include additional information on the distribution, habitats, taxonomy and biology of the taxa.