The research was conducted in meadow communities with Cirsium canum in the Wielopolka River valley in the Strzyżów Foothills in 2012–2013. The common phytosociological Braun-Blanquet method was applied and 20 phytosociological relevés were taken in each of the managed and abandoned patches. The aim of the study was to investigate the distribution of the species and identify the floristic composition and habitat conditions in the phytocoenoses, as well as to compare mown and unmown patches in which the species occurs. It was observed that the management factor exerted a significant effect on the floristic composition of the communities with Cirsium canum. The managed patches exhibited a large proportion of species from fresh and wet meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class), whereas the abandoned patches were clearly dominated by species from wet meadows from the Calthion alliance and Molinietalia order.
This paper presents the results of a research on the variability of Orobanche pallidiflora Wimm. et Grab. specimens which grew in an abandoned meadow in Lubiatowo (Pyrzyce County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship). Their spatial distribution was investigated and some biometric measurements were taken (shoot height, stem height, stem basal width, number of leaves, length of inflorescence, and number of flowers). Also participation of the species in plant communities was examined. 75 individuals of Orobanche pallidiflora were recorded in the sampling plot of 100 m². Their distribution was clustered. The majority of the biometric measures had low coefficient of variation values, except for the number of flowers (V = 59.63%). The specimens grew in species-poor Molinietalia communities of the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class, where Cirsium oleraceum and Cirsium arvense were the dominant species.