The undergrowth

On the wettest slopes of Mount Somma, the mixed woods, made up of associations of different tree species, especially broadleaf trees, are characterized by a rich component in species of the undergrowth, which provides shelter and food availability to wildlife communities.
Here it is possible to observe only some of the main elements of these forest associations, including the Fern, one of the oldest pteridophytes in the evolutionary scale of the plant world, and the Pungitopo, a small shrub among the essences considered to be an evocative symbol of the forest itself, which fortunately is now prohibited to be harvested.

Among the arboreal species, the Neapolitan alder is one of the most important endemic species, while the Orniello, also known as the “tree of manna”, and the Corbezzolo, with its succulent fruits, remind us of the role that the forest has always played for the rooting of traditions and culture of these places.