Rock vascular plant species of the Kraków- Cz ęstochowa Uplands

The present work is based on results of own field studies carried out in the area of Krakow-Cz estochowa Uplands in the period 1999-2004 as well as on data from other authors, derived from literature, herbarium collections and the current database of Distribution Atlas of Vascular Plants in Poland (ATPOL). Distribution of species was presented using the cartogramme method - the study area was divided according to ATPOL principles into 660 basic study fields (2 km by 2 km squares). The flora of Krakow-Cz estochowa Uplands includes 1441 species of permanently naturalised vascular plants. This is the region with the high number of rock plant species (Tab. 1). Most of them belong to Lamiaceae and Rosaceae . They are mostly grassland ( Festuco- Brometea ) or rock cervices ( Asplenietea rupestria ) species, mainly hemicryptophytes and herbaceous chamaephytes. Rock species of the study area generally prefer full light, warm climate conditions and dry soils. The highest concentration of their localities was recorded from the southern part of Krakow-Cz estochowa Uplands, especially within the territory of Ojcow National Park.