A classification of plant growth forms applicable to the Floras and Vegetation types of Italy

Abstract

Since the very beginning in plant geography, man felt the need of creating vegetal groups sharing common growth or development patterns, according to their morphology, that is the physiognomic expression of ecological adaptations to the environmental conditions. Sucessively several classifications have been worked out aiming at building a rational synthesis of the multiplicity of plants forms. These classifications offer many useful information but they do not embrace to advantage the variegate typologies of floras and vegetations which may be found in different geographical districts. The proposed classification fits the Italian flora and vegetation and allows both synthetic and analytical classification according to needs. The author suggests though to put more emphasys on morphology or on vegetative periodicity because they are an adaptative expression to the environmental conditions.