Phytosociological overview of the Italian Alnus incana-rich riparian woods

On the basis of data both new and coming from the literature, the Italian grey alder riparian woods were studied from the syntaxonomic point of view. The floristic-sociological analysis of 119 relevés coming from northern Italy and the comparison with phytosociological tables from neighboring areas (Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, southern Germany and Switzerland) pointed out the occurrence of two distinct associations belonging to Alnion incanae and Fagetalia: the colline-submontane Primulo vulgaris-Alnetum incanae ass. nova and the montane-high montane Aceri-Alnetum incanae. Both these associations are distributed throughout northern Italy and reach their southern limit of distribution in the Tuscan-Emilian Appenines.