In the course of continuous botanical surveys of the Papuk Mt (Slavonia, Croatia)
two outstanding sites (Sokolina, near Doljanci and Svinjarevac, by Kamenski
Vučjak village) with thermophilic-acidophilous forest have been discovered. This
type of oak forest is rather rare in Croatia, but it is dominant at these sites,
moreover, stands of the peculiar Fagus sylvatica-Sphagnum quinquefarium forests
are also present, so these localities are very unique from the aspect of pedology
and phytogeography. Despite the fact that the lichenological survey of Papuk Mt
started in the middle of the 19th century the knowledge about lichen flora was very
poor, probably because the previous studies focused on the epiphytic species.
During our field trips in 2015 and 2016 we collected lichens from different types
of substrates and recorded at least 54 taxa. Four of them (e.g. Psilolechia lucida,
Umbilicaria polyphylla) were not found in Croatia before and 19 species are new
for the lichen flora of the Papuk (e.g. Cladonia cervicornis subsp. verticillata,
Pertusaria coronata, Trapeliopsis pseudogranulosa). Umbilicaria hirsuta was
detected at Sokolina (second occurrence in Croatia) and the rare Lobaria
pulmonaria and Lasallia pustulata were also observed at several new places.
During non-systematic bryological surveys in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016, we
noticed that the phylogenetic diversity is very high at these sites: species of the
classes Bryopsida, Jungermanniopsida, Marchantiopsida and Sphagnopsida (in the
case of Sokolina, Andreaeopsida too) occurred together within 100 metres. Several
extremely rare species, e.g. Cynodontium polycarpon, Dicranum polysetum,
Dicranum spurium, Jamesoniella autumnalis, Jungermannia pumila, Lophozia
bicrenata, Pleuridium acuminatum, Rhabdoweisia fugax and new taxa of the
Croatian moss flora (e.g. Andreaea rothii ssp. rothii, Buxbaumia aphylla) have been
found here. The importance of these sites is indisputable from the aspect of
taxonomic diversity, however, the presence of the invasive Campylopus introflexus
at Sokolina (second occurrence in Croatia) maybe threaten the taxa growing on
soil, with spreading to the detriment of the native species. Since both localities
represent highly valuable bryological and lichenological hot spots with very
special and unique species assemblages, further research and monitoring of the
area is strongly recommended
