Monte Casoli di Bomarzo Nature Reserve

Vegetation

Notwithstanding its relatively small size, the Reserve is marked by rich plant cover thanks to the variegated configuration of the terrain, which we could compare to a mosaic of environments with different geology, morphology and microclimates. A thick blanket of cerris oak groves covers the slopes less exposed to sunlight, and is assuredly the dominant vegetation element of the whole area, above all in the 'forre'. In these environments we find an inversion of vegetation distribution bands, thus we find the cerris oak, Quercus cerris, at lower elevations than ilex, Quercus ilex, a species typical of the lower, warmer areas. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the 'forre' have a particularly damp cool microclimate which offers an ideal habitat to mesophilic species such as the cerris, while higher up on the rocky part of the slopes it is the ilex which wins the battle since lack of soil and water scarcity make it impossible for other more demanding plant species to flourish. In the deep valley beds and on the large blocks of tufa scattered at the foot of the slopes, the moisture-filled habitat is rich in various species of fern, Polysticum setiferum, Phyllitis scolopendrium, Asplenium trichomanes, Asplenium onopteris, Ceterach officinarum, Adiantum capillus-veneris and Polypodium interjectum, which create very attractive environments. The area also has a rich river bank vegetation consisting of willows, Salix alba, alders, Alnus glutinosa and poplars, Populus nigra, which follow the flow of the various streams and rivers often forming true galleries. In contrast with the abundance of water in this zone, on its mainly arid rocky uplands we find a type of vegetation which is typically Mediterranean: thus there are meadows, often used for grazing, where above all in springtime visitors will find an explosion of blossoms and flowers, including many species of orchid such as Orchis morio, Orchis papilionacea, Orchis provincialis, Serapias lingua, Serapias vomeracea, Limodorum abortivum and Dacthylorhiza romana, a protected species in Lazio. As are also protected Linaria purpurea and Sedum caespitosum, grassy species growing on the tufa outcrops in the sunniest areas. On the borders grow sparse stands of pubescent oak, Quercus pubescens, and Q. virgiliana, a species extremely rare in Lazio, together with brush growth such as juniper, Spartium junceum, Cytisus scoparius, rock rose, Cistus salvifolius and C. incanus, together with spiny bushes such as blackthorn, Prunus spinosa, hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna, brambles, Rubus sp., dog roses, Rosa canina, butcher's broom, Ruscus aculeatus and wild pear, Pyrus amygdaliformis.