Rugose corals of the Givetian to Lower Frasnian Kowal a limestone Formation in the environs of Chęciny, SW Holy Cross Mts and in its age equivalents in the Silesian-Cracow region of Southern Poland represent five distinct assemblages of restricted time-and-space distribution. Within the Stringocephalus Beds the high diversity Pseudohexagonaria(?) laxa assemblage indicates open-shelf conditions whereas low diversity Temnophyllum occidentale assemblage represents restricted conditions. The transgressive Jaźwica Mbr. locally contains diversified and cosmopolitan Acanthophyllum sp. n. fauna. Following temporally coral assemblages, i.e., Disphyllum (lower Sitkówka and Chęciny Beds) and Macgeea-Thamnophyllum (Kadzielnia Mbr, upper Sitkówka Beds) are mostly biostromes of branching corals of low taxonomical diversity typical for restricted relatively setting, rather unfavorable for rugosans. Exceptional are two Hexagonaria horizons with common massive colonies. Diffusolasma gen. nov., Sociophyllum severiacum sp. nov., Temnophyllum zamkowae sp. nov. and Hexagonaria hexagona kowalae subsp. nov. are proposed as the new taxa.

Key words: Rugosa, Devonian, Holy Cross Mts, Kowala Formation, taxonomy, stratigraphical distribution.