Vascular flora of old cemeteries transformed into parks in poznan a

In 2011–2012, the vascular flora of all the eight park-like old cemeteries in Poznań was studied. They are former Protestant cemeteries, transformed into parks after the World War 2. Each of them was investigated in both spring and summer. In total, 334 species of vascular plants were found there, including 62 in the tree layer, 91 in the shrub layer, and 181 in the herb layer. Their vascular flora includes 173 taxa (51.8% of the total) introduced into cultivation, most of them in the shrub layer (70 species, i.e. 20.9%). Among plants with symbolic meanings, 52 species are in the tree and shrub layer, and 34 in the herb layer. Currently the symbolism of cemetery plants is of little significance, and they are planted mostly for ornament. Funeral plants in the investigated cemeteries are represented by 74 species. These include 15 species of geophytes, which are indicator plants (phytoindicators) of former cemeteries: Gagea arvensis, G. lutea, Galanthus nivalis, Hemerocallis fulva, Muscari botryoides, Narcissus poëticus, N. pseudonarcissus, Ornithogalum boucheanum, O. nutans, O. umbellatum, Puschkinia scilloides, Saponaria officinalis, Scilla sibirica, Tulipa gesneriana, and T. sylvestris.