The Endemic Flora of the Canary Islands; Distribution, Relationships and Phytogeography

Abstract

The flora of the Canary Islands is exceedingly rich in endemic species. Recent estimates (Lems 1960; Bramwell 1972) put the size of the flora at between 1600 and 1700 species. About 470 of these are endemic to the islands, while another 110 or so are found also on other islands of the Macaronesian region (Macaronesian endemics). The nonendemic flora, some 1100 species, consists mainly of a native Mediterranean element and a large proportion of introduced weeds and aliens.