Flora of the Pyrenees

The flora of the the Pyrenees comprises approximately 4500 species, whose some 160 species endemic S. the vegetable distribution in the Pyrenees is influenced by the oceanic climate in the west, Mediterranean in the east, wet in north, drier in the south. Without forgetting different the " étages" mountains which support the forests of leafy trees at low altitude, then as one goes up, forests persistent, plants and fatty grasses of mountain pastures, and finally rocky plants or of firns with high-altitude (foams, lichen…).

The Mediterranean influence makes that the Eastern Pyrenees, sunnier, have a floristic composition different from the remainder of the chain, with presence inter alia Céraiste of the Pyrenees ( Cerastium pyrenaicum J.Gay), Xatardie scabre ( Xatardia will scabra (Lap.) Meisn.) and of the Endressie of the Pyrenees ( Endressia pyrenaica (J. Gay ex cd.) J. Gay) - two ombellifères endemic -, of the Galéopsis of the Pyrenees ( Galeopsis pyrenaica Bartl.), of the Gentian of the Pyrenees ( Gentiana pyrenaica L.), of the Achillée to sheets of camomile ( Achillea chamaemelifolia Pourret) and of the Séneçon to white sheets ( Senecio leucophyllus cd.) - a species which also pushes in the Mézenc. One also finds in this sector of the Pyrenees some species originating in the Alps, like the Bugrane of the Mount Cenis ( Ononis cristata ), the Pédiculaire incarnate ( Pedicularis rostratospicata Crantz) and the Campanette ( Bulbocodium vernum L.). In the Western part of the Pyrenees who is sprinkled, one meets the other endemic ones, in particular the hairy Soldanelle ( Soldanella villosa Darracq), the Grémil of Gaston ( Buglossoides gastonii (Benth.) Johnst.), the Lychnis of the Pyrenees ( Petrocoptis pyrenaica (Bergeret) A.Braun), the érodium of Manescaut ( Erodium manescavi Coss.) and the Géranium d' Endress ( Geranium endressii J.Gay) - a species often cultivated in the gardens and introduced that and there.

The orientation of west is majority of the European mountains had as a consequence that a great number of species which were present in our areas during the tertiary era, are dyings of cold during the great glaciation. They indeed butted against the assembly lines, which they could not cross. In North America and the Far East where the assembly lines are with North-South orientation, they on the other hand, could emigrate towards more lenient areas. A mixture with species coming from the artic regions and other chains European moreover took place. At the time of the increase of the ices, alpine species, like the of the Alps ( Dryas octopetala L.), went up in the Far North, while Arctic species, like the blue andromède ( Phyllodoce caerulea (L.) Bab.), remained in the Pyrenees.

Following the example the southernmost Alps and mountains of Balkans, which are also rich endemic in cash, some species could remain in valleys protected from the Pyrenees. That thus makes it possible to explain why the hyacinth of the Pyrenees, Brimeura amethystina (L.) Chouard, meets only in the Pyrenees and in Croatia. The gentian of the Pyrenees, Gentiana pyrenaica L., was probably more largely widespread before the glaciation. One currently finds it in the Eastern Pyrenees and since the Rila Mounts of Bulgaria until in the North-East of Turkey. Gesnériacées are a tropical big family, which was also widespread in Europe during the tertiary era. Only six species could survive the glaciation it. Thus, the ramonde, Ramonda myconi (L.) Rchb., is present on the rocks shaded limestones of the central and Western Pyrenees. In Balkans, one meets two others locally ramondes: Ramonda nathaliae Pancic & Petr. with flowers with 4 petals, and Ramonda serbica Pancic with slightly bell-shaped corolla. The Lily of the Pyrenees, Lilium pyrenaicum Gouan, is a beautiful plant with yellow flowers in turban piquetées of black, which spread a rather unpleasant odor unfortunately. In the North-East of Spain one finds the VAr. rubrum with orange flowers. In the Eastern Alps and Balkans one meets the lily of Carniole, Lilium carniolicum Bernh. ex W.D.J. Koch, which is present there under four varieties: albanicum and jankae with yellow flowers, and bosniacum and carniolicum with orange flowers with reds. Of aucuns currently consider that the lily of Carniole is a subspecies of the Lily of the Pyrenees. Lilium pyrenaicum and Lilium carniolicum probably comes from a common ancestor who was decimated during the great glaciation.

Some vegetable, famous endemic species of the the Pyrenees:

Index of the Flora of the the Pyrenees

Nomenclature of the index: the Espèce S and Sous-espèce S by scientific Nom are indexed , name (S) common (S) or vernacular (S) '', Famille (biology) , and description .

With

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

NR

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

In the Eastern Pyrenees

W

X

Y

Z

Notes and references of the article

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