Meadows and pastures, together with forests, represent the main natural resource of medicinal plant flora. These ecosystems occupy huge areas of Serbia and are spread as primary or secondary vegetation type, depending on several external factors, as well as the influence of human activity.
For the purpose of identifying a differences between three cardinal grassland types (lowland, hilly and mountainous) relating to the presence of medicinal plant species, an analysis of more than hundred stands of most dominant meadow communities within valley, hilly and mountainous region of Serbia were undertaken, where the total number of medicinal plants, their taxonomical range, cover degree, life form and area type were being determined. The special attention has been paid to the rare or plants in danger and their natural finding places.
The participation of medicinal plant species in lowland grassland communities varied from 21.7% to 34.1%. In wide spread valley grassland communities, such as Molinietum coeruleae, Agrostio-Juncetum effusi, Trifolieto-Alopecuretum pratensis etc., the following medicinal plant species may be assigned as more represented: Taraxacum officinale L., Achilea millefolium L., Gratiola officinalis L., Cichorium intybus L., Lythrum salicaria L., Plantago lanceolata L. and others.
In the hilly region of Serbia there are plenty of communities described, where of a grater importance are association's Chrysopogonetum grlylli, Danthonietum calycinae, Agrostietum vulgarae, Cynosuretum cristati, Festucetum valesiaceae and some others. Although they could be characterised as floristically rich, which reflects on representation of medicinal plants as well, there are not too many medicinal species presented having a high cover degree. The species, which could be set apart, are: Euphrasia stricta, Filipendula hexapetala, Sanguisorba minor, Hypericum perforatum, Galium verum, Teucrium chamaedrys, Thymus sp., Achillea crithmifolia, etc.
Generally, mountainous grassland plant communities are narrower regarding the total floristic composition, where the participation of medicinal plant coenobionts ranged between 10.8% and 33.3%. Certain medicinal plants are well represented in such plant associations developed at higher altitudes (ass. Nardetum strictae sensu lato, Poetum violaceae, Sempervieto-Seslerietum, Anthyleto-Seslerietum rigidae, etc.), even creating a separate faces, i.e. natural finding place.
Among such a species, where of economical usage especially interesting are Thymus sp., Vaccinium mirty, Hypericum perforatum, Teucrium montanum and several others, there are medicinal plant species threatened with extinction, relicts and endemic of Serbia and the Balkans. The following plant species grown in mountainous meadow and pasture communities are a worth while of mentioning, because they are protected or their exploitation is strictly limited: Digitalis sp., Valeriana officinalis, Veratrum nigrum, Arctostaphyllos uva ursi, Satureja montana, Hyssopus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and few others.
Key words: grassland communities, floristic analysis, medicinal plant.