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The main floristic regions found in Hellas are the Mediterranean, the European (Eurasian) and the Irano-Caspian. The Mediterranean flora is found in a zone of varying width along the coasts and on the islands of the Ionian and Aegean Seas. The width of this zone and the altitude to which it reaches both decrease with increasing latitude. The Central European flora predominates on the mountains of Northern and Central Hellas, gradually losing ground as we move south. Representatives of the Irano-Caspian flora, such as the oriental oak and others, are found in North-East Hellas (Thrace) and on the islands of the North-East Aegean. In Crete representatives of the north-African flora are also found. Due to the geographical position and the coexistence of the above-mentioned flora regions, the flora of Hellas, in proportion to its area, is one of the richest in Europe, consisting of approximately 6,000 phanerogamous plants. Also, the country s mountainous nature and many islands favour conditions of isolation and endemism. As a result, significant proportion of plant species and subspecies (13%) are endemic. Finally, it should also be noted, that out of the 6,000 plant taxa, 263 taxa are considered as rare and threatened, according to the recently publiced Red Data Book of rare and threatened plant
species (Phitos et al. 1995).
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