Flora and vegetation of stony walls in East Bohemia (Czech Republic)

This paper deals with the flora and vegetation of stony walls (wall tops, vertical wall surfaces) in East Bohemia. In total, 207 species of vascular plants and 60 mosses were identified in 114 recorded relevés. Flora of walls is composed of a high number of accidental species. Only two species (Poa compressa, Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia) were frequently recorded on walls. Differences in species’ traits (life strategy, life form, dispersal) and ecological requirements of plants (light, moisture) were analysed between vertical wall surfaces and wall tops. Due to high floristic heterogeneity, many communities can be classified only at the level of higher syntaxa. In total, 10 communities were reported on the studied walls. Communities on wall tops were dominated by Poa compressa, P. palustris subsp. xerotica, P. nemoralis subsp. rigidula, Conyza canadensis and Syringa vulgaris. Four communities dominated by Corydalis lutea, Cymbalaria muralis, Asplenium ruta-muraria and Cystopteris fragilis were identified on vertical wall surfaces. Their structure, species composition, ecology and distribution are briefly discussed.