Optimal grazing pressure on rocky pastures is beneficial to the development of plant species and maintenance of plant diversity. Both abandonment of grazing and overgrazing gradually reduce plant diversity. This paper correlated abundance patterns of the flora on rocky pastures with the values of the chemical composition of the soil resulting from the degree of sheep grazing intensity. The study was carried out in the period from 2008 to 2010 on the islands of Pag, Krk and Cres. At 30 sites, 310 taxa of vascular plants were found. The highest plant diversity and 220 plant taxa were found on moderately grazed pastures. Abandoned pastures with a total of 93 plant taxa observed show the dominance of phanerophytes (35.5%) and the highest proportion of the Mediterranean floral element when compared to pastures of moderate and heavy grazing intensity. The highest concentration of total nitrogen in the soil (0.71%) was recorded on plots of heavy grazing intensity. The results of the study indicate that moderate grazing intensity, from 1 to 1.5 sheep ha⁻¹, can be recommended on the northern Adriatic islands. This should contribute not only to the preservation of plant diversity, but also to the improvement of ecological sheep farming.

A new species, Centaurea lovricii, is described and illustrated from the island of Vis (Dalmatia, Croatia). It occurs on northwest-facing calcareous cliffs near the sea, where it grows with several other rare endemic species. Centaurea lovricii is morphologically similar to C. glaberrima and C. divergens of C. sect. Centaurea, from which it differs in having more succulent leaves with larger and less incised leaflets, bigger capitula, larger phyllaries with more developed appendages and denser and undulate fimbriae, larger florets, bigger achenes, and longer pappus. Its morphological features, distribution, ecology, conservation status and taxonomic affinities are examined. In addition, a new iconography and lectotypification for C. glaberrima and C. divergens is provided.

The aim of this research was to produce a georeferenced map of habitats of the Protected Landscape of Donji Kamenjak (Istria, Croatia). There were found 20 habitat types according to the National Classification of Habitats with the corresponding codes. The presence of habitat types and vegetation was determined on the basis of characteristic and dominant species. On a relatively small area, a large number of plant communities were found. The vegetation is represented mainly by coastal evergreen forests and maquis with Juniperus oxycedrus L., Pinus halepensis Mill., Quercus ilex L., Erica arborea L. and the eastern Adriatic shrubby habitats of Cisto-Ericetalia Horvatic 1958. A total of 76.49 ha was identified as belonging to Natura 2000 ecological network habitats, representing 18.78% of the total area of Donji Kamenjak. These are mainly rocky pastures of the Chrysopogoni-Euphorbietum nicaeensis Horvatic (1956) 1958 plant community, dominated by heliophilous plants which significantly enrich plant and landscape diversity. However, these are endangered habitats due to the abandonment of traditional system of sheep farming causing the occurrence of different succession stages and the development of the maquis and forests, pointing out the remarkable importance of traditional systems in biodiversity conservation.

Micromeria silicii, a new species from St. Andrea (Svetac) and Biševo Islands of Dalmatia (Croatia) is described and illustrated. Previously, it was attributed to M. microphylla, but careful morphological investigation allowed to differentiate it from the latter. In order to emphasize the relationships with the other taxa currentelly attributed to M. microphylla group were examined also M. acropolitana, M. cypria, M. carpatha, M. hispida, M. sphaciotica and M. rodriguezii, which are distributed in various territories of the Mediterranean area. All these species were studied from the taxonomical, nomenclatural and chorological point of view, as well as a new icononography was provided for some of them. Besides, an analitical key for all investigated species is given too.