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In spite of enormous climatic differences between Burkina Faso and Germany, 20 species belong to the spontaneous flora of both countries, i.e. 1% of the flora of Burkina Faso and 0.15 % of the German flora. All of them are either ruderal and segetal species (16) or water and reed plants (4). All of the 16 ruderals/segetals are therophytes. From a recent point of view, most of the 20 species can be classified as cosmopolitan, because they cover three and more floristic zones, and/or at least three climatic zones, and/or are represented in at least three continents. Although Burkina Faso has a semi-arid climate, none of the species can be called a sclero- or xerophyte. Therefore, in Burkina Faso, all are more or less bound to habitats at least temporarily flooded or to humid soils. In Germany, however, the concerned ruderals, with one exception, are indicators of medium dry or dry habitats.
Muránska planina Mts, a small karstic area situated in the southern part of the Western Carpathians in Central Slovakia was chosen as a model region for the study of the variability and diversity patterns of thermophilous and mountain non-forest vegetation on the crossing of the Carpathian and Pannonian bioregions. Altogether, 113 new relevés were sampled using standard methods of the Zürich-Montpellier approach and compared with previously published data. The dataset containing both new and published phytosociological relevés from dry, semi-dry and mesic grasslands (265 relevés) was analysed using the program JUICE 7.0.98. The Beta flexible method, relative Sorensen distance as a similarity measure, and logarithmic transformation of species covers were used for the numerical classification (PC-ORD). The main environmental gradients of species composition were analysed by DCA in the CANOCO 4.5 package using the Borhidi indicator values. The various mosaics of plant communities were detected in succession series from pioneer rocky stands through open rocky grasslands dominated by Festuca pallens, F. tatrae, Carex humilis and Sesleria albicans to closed tall grass communities dominated by Calamagrostis varia and C. arundinacea. Plant communities belonging to six classes (Sedo-Scleranthetea, Festuco-Brometea, Elyno-Seslerietea, Thlaspietea rotundifolii, Mulgedio-Aconitetea and Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) including Pannonian grasslands of the alliance Bromo pannonici-Festucion pallentis and high montane/subalpine grasslands of the alliance Astero alpini-Seslerion calcariae occur together in the study area. High floristic richness and extraordinary diffusion of thermophilous and montane/subalpine elements is characteristic for the majority of the studied plant communities.
Kagbeni and its irrigated oasis are surrounded by subdesert dwarf scrubland. In the present study, a list of 78 species of vascular plants is presented for Kagbeni and its immediate surroundings, supplemented with data on the distribution of the species within the entire Mustan District. The data are arrived from own investigations and the geobotanical literature. A phytogeographical analysis shows the prevalence of western over eastern elements. Species with a wide distribution in Eurasia, which constitute one third of the total flora of Kagbeni, are of great importance as weeds on arable fields and in ruderal places within the irrigated oasis. Their occurrence is closely related to human activity. Presumably, most of these weeds have reached the area under study in connection with agriculture a long time ago. Weeds from the New World, although recorded in other villages of Mustan District, have not been found in Kagbeni. The weed vegetation of Kagbeni is documented by nine vegetation releves, and is compared to releves from Jomsom and Mzrpha. A floristic gradient from south to north that has been detected by earlier investigations throughout the whole district can be reproduced at the local scale. With regard to the weed flora, the effects of different crops are minimal, compared to effects of altitude and other factors related to altitude.