The natural ecosystems

Flora

 

Of the Park for the Preservation of Flora & Fauna

 

General information

Up to 350 different plant species that grow naturally in habitats of the Park have been collected and identified.

In the Park’s Herbarium are preserved 1700 dried plant specimens collected from all over the Crete.

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Description

Sclerophyllous scrubs characterize the natural vegetation over a large area of the Park. Typical species here are carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), wild olive tree (Olea europea subsp. europaea), heather (Erica manipuliflora), rock rose (Cistus creticus, C. salviifolius & C. parviflorus), hairy thorny broom (Calicotome vilosa and Genista acanthoclada), thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum), thyme (Thymbra capitata) and savory (Satureja thymbra).

Within openings in the shrub cover several orchids belonging to the genera Anacamptis, Barlia, Ophrys, Orchis,  Neotinea and Serapias, and various species of the family Iridaceae, like wild saffron crocus (Crocus cartwrightianus), common sword-lily (Gladiolus italicus) and of the family Liliaceae (Allium sp., Ornithoganum sp., Muscari sp. Asphodelus sp., Asparagus sp.) occur.

The gorge at the east side of the Park is a representative sample of rocky habitat of Crete with typical species that grow on cliffs such as the Cretan endemics dittany (Origanum dictamnus) and cretan wall lettuce (Petromarula pinnata).

An old olive grove and semi-natural grasslands, probably remains of former cultivation, are found in the Park. Here, one finds many annual plants such as buglosses (Echium sp., Cynoglossum sp.) daisies (Anthemis sp. Bellis sp. Chrysanthemum sp.), wood-sorrels (Oxalis pes-caprae), thistles (Galactites sp., Carduus sp.), several legumes (Anthyllis sp., Lotus sp., Medicago sp., Trifolium sp.) and grasses (Aegilops sp., Αvena sp., Bromus sp., Briza sp.).

Pictures from our collection: