Functional Groups

Grasses	Small Herbs	Tall Herbs	Legumes

Species group 1 (Grasses incl. Luzula campestris)

The group contains all species of the Poaceae and Luzula campestris (Juncaceae). Common traits are a perennial life cycle (exception Bromus hordeaceus), a short living primary root system, the prevailing caespitose growth and overwintering with green leaves.

A further subdivision is possible into species forming tussocks (e.g., Dactylis glomerata, Festuca pratensis) in comparison to species with an extensive clonal growth by creeping stems or belowground stolons. Canopy height, depth of the root system or laef size are highly variable attributes within this group.

Species group 2 (Herbs of small stature)

The second species group comprises herbs of small stature. Besides their low canopy height they are similar in their seasonality of foliage (overwintering green, exception Leontodon hispidus) and having a perennial life cycle.

Two subgroups may clearly be distinguished. One of them contains species with a creeping growth (clonal growth by creeping stems, above- or below-ground stolons over longer distances). The other assembles rosulate herbs.

Species group 3 (Herbs of medium or tall stature)

The third species group consist of herbs with medium or tall stature (canopy height of vegetative and flowering plants). Their growth form according to Ellenberg & Mueller-Dombois (1967) is predominantly semirosulata, but the species are rather variable with regard to other traits.

Galium album was added to the group of the tall herbs. Numerical classification assigned it to species group 2 (fig. xxx) because of its deviant growth form and its capacity for clonal growth over longer distances by below-ground stolons. It was decided to reassign it to the group of tall herbs because of its coincident canopy height of vegetative and flowering individuals that causes an unstable position in cluster analysis with different weighting of variables.

Species group 4 (Legumes)

This group includes all legumes. They may be divided into two subgroups, one of them containing legumes with caespitose growth, a long-living primary root system and no capacity for clonal growth. Species differ in their life cycle of being annuals (e.g., Trifolium campestre, T. dubium) or perennials (e.g., Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium pratense).

The other subgroup consists of legumes with the capacity of clonal growth by below-ground stolons (e.g., Lathyrus pratensis) or creeping stems (e.g., Trifolium repens).