| dc.description.abstract | For a naturalis the territory of the Pieniny Mts. is, along with that of the Tatra the most interesting place in
the whole West Carpathiana. A place of the highest interest are the Central Pieniny where various natural
peculiarities are to be found in great numbers, both accumulated and endemic species. If the time allows, the
excursion can be extended to the territory of West Pieniny or Little Pieniny ranges. The author's objective has
been to provide a sort ot botanical guidebook to teachers who are plannig to take their students on an excursion to
the Pieniny Mts.
Two routes are sueggested. One leads to the Central Pieniny range with a visit to the Sokolica peak, to the
Pieninki range, the Castle's Mount, the "Three Crowns" and a canceing trip down the Dunajec R. This route offers
ample opportunity to observe the most striking paculiarities of the Pieniny range. Thus, one can see the curious
xerothermic lichenaceous greenswards such as Erysimum Wittmannii, Alyssum Arduinii, Chrysanthemum Zawadzki, Aster
alpinus, Theucrium montanum, Saxifraga aizoon, and other varieties. The route is brdered with fine old fir- and
beech-woods of the lower sub-alpine region (Fagetum carpaticum). To crown the excursion the autbor recomends to
take the students down the Dunajec River Gorge in the Central Pieniny Range, an unsurpassed experience, as the
place is unique of its kind in Europe.
The second route suggested by the author leads up to the region of the Homole ravine and the "High Rocks" in Little
Pieniny, different from Central Pieniny Mts. under the geological and floristic respects. In this part of the
Pieniny the agglomerations are not so rich, the number of the species is less abundant; this is particularly
manifest in the lichenaceous greenswards, which lack many of the species growing in the Central Pieniny range.
The vegetable cover and the floristic situation of the Pieniny diverge so much from the mountain ranges surrounding
them that Pawłowski (1959), in his geobotanical division of the West Carpathians, isolated, them as a special
circuit. Highly specific are the lichenaceous greenswards, where besides species of mountain character (Secleria
varia, Erysimum Wittmanni, Saxifraga aizoon, Aster alpinus, var. glabratus, Leontodon incanus, Scabiosa lucida)
there are also species of xerothermic, lowland character (Festuca pallens, Inula ensifolia, Anthemis tinctoria,
Melica transilvanica, Theucrium montanum, Bupleurum falcatum).
Woods, as a result of the moderate height of the range (which as a rule does not surpass 1,000 m a.s.l.) are
generally built up of agglomerations typical of the lower subalpine region. Among the most remarkable specimens
growing in the Pieniny woods are the following species: Phyllitis scolopendrium, Dentaria glandulosa, Lunaria
rediviva, Symphytum cordatum and Taxus baccata.
The richest agglomeration of all are the Pieniny meadows, distinguished by a particularly high number of varieties
of orchid.
The occurrance of specific endemites on so small a space is another proof of the area's floristic peculiarity. Here
is a list of the endemic classification units: Teraxacum pieninicum, Chrysanthemum Zawadzki var. pieninicum,
Minuartia setacea var. pieninica, Centaurea Triumfetti var. pieninica, Arabis pieninica, Sedum sacre var.
calcigenum, Centaurium umbellatum var. pieninicum, Artemisia absynthium var. calcigena. | en_EN |
