Flora is the general term that describes all the plants that grow in the earth.
Flora has two meanings. The first meaning, or flora of an area or of time period, refers to all plant life occurring in an area or time period, especially the naturally occurring or indigenous plant life. The second meaning refers to a book or other work which describes the plant species occurring in an area or time period, with the aim of allowing identification.
The term flora comes from Latin language Flora, the goddess of flowers in Roman mythology. The term can refer to a group of plants or to bacteria. Flora is the root of the word floral, which means pertaining to flowers.
Flora Index
- Acanthus spinosus
- Adiamtum Capilus
- Aeluropus Littoralis
- Agave Americana
- Aira Elegantissima
- Alcea Pallida
- Alkanna azurea
- Allium Ampeloprasum
- Allium Cera
- Allium Neapolitanum
- Allium Nigrum
- Allium Roseum
- Allium Sativum
- Allium subhirustum
- Anacamptis Pyramidalis
- Anagallis Arvensis
- Anagyris Foetida
- Anchusa Aegyptiaca
- Anchusa azurea
- Anemone coconaria
- Anempne hortensis
- Anthemis abrotanifolia
- Anthemis chia
- Anthemis filicaulis
- Anthemis rigida
- Anthyllis tetraphylla
- Anthyllis vulmeraria
- Antirrhinum majus
- Arisarum Vulgare
- Aristolochia cretica
- Artemisia arborescens
- Arum concinnatum
- Arum creticum
- Arundo donx
- Ashodelinec lutea
- Asparagus aphyllus
- Asperula crassula
- Asphaltium bituminosum
- Asphodelus aestivus
- Asplenium ceterach
- Aster creticus
- Atractylis gummifera
- Atriplex halimus
- Cakile maritima
- Calendula arvensis
- Calicotome villosa
- Calium apapire
- Calystegia sepium
- Campanula pelviformis
- Campanula spatulata
- Capparis spinosa
- Cardamine hirsute
- Cardaria braba
- Carex flacca
- Carlina corymbosa
- Carlina sitiaca
- Catapodium marinum
- Centaurea aegiolophila
- Centaurea idaea
- Centaurea raphanina
- Centaurium pulchellum
- Centaurium pulchellum
- Centaurium tenuifolium
- Centranthus ruber
- Centtanthus ruber
- Ceratonia siliqua
- Cercis siliquastrum
- Chenopodium album
- Chrozophora tinctoria
- Chrysahthemum coronarium
- Chrysahthemum segetum
- Cichorium intrybus
- Cichorium spinosum
- Cistus creticus
- Cistus pavliflorus
- Cistus salvifolius
- Citrus limon
- Citrus medica
- Citrus nobilis
- Citrus sinensis
- Citrus vulgaris
- Clematis cirrhosa
- Conium maculatum
- Convolvulus althaeoides
- Convolvulus arvensis
- Convolvulus dorycnium
- Convolvulus elegantissimus
- Convolvulus oleifolius
- Coronilla scorpioides
- Crepis cretica
- Crepis foetida
- Crepis fraasii
- Crithmum maritimum
- Crocus boryi
- Crocus laevigatus
- Crocus tournefortii
- Crupina crupinastrum
- Cupressus sempervirens
- Cuscuta palaestina
- Cyclamen creticum
- Cyclamen persicum
- Cymbalaria muralis
- Cynara cardunculus
- Cynara cornigera
- Cynoglossum columnea
- Cynoglossum creticum
- Cytinus hypocistis
- Ebenus cretica
- Ecballium elaterium
- Echinops spinosissimus
- Echium angustifolium
- Echium italicum
- Echium plantagineum
- Ephedra cambylopoda
- Equisetum ramosissimum
- Erica manipuliflora
- Erodium gruinum
- Erodium malacoides
- Eruca sativa
- Eryngium camprestre
- Eryngium maritimum
- Erysimum creticum
- Euphorbia acanthothamnos
- Euphorbia characias
- Euphorbia dendroides
- Euphorbia helioscopia
- Euphorbia paralias
- Euphorbia peplis
- Lactuca serriola
- Lactuca tuberosa
- Lamium amplexicauie
- Lamyropsis cynaroside
- Lathyrus clymenum
- Laurus nobilis
- Lavatera bryoniifolia
- Lavatera cretica
- Lecokia cretica
- Limonium graecum
- Limonium sinuatum
- Limonium sitiacum
- Linum ardoreum
- Linum bienne
- Lonicera etrusca
- Lotus cytisoides
- Lotus edulis
- Lotus peregrinus
- Lupinus albus
- Lythrum jynceum
- Malcolmia flexuosa
- Malva aegyptica
- Malva cretica
- Malva sylvestris
- Mandragora autumnalis
- Marrubium vulgare
- Matricaria recutita
- Matthiola sinuata
- Matthiola tricuspidata
- Medicago arborea
- Medicago marina
- Medicago polymorpha
- Melissa officinalis
- Mentha longifolia
- Mentha pulegium
- Mercurialis annua
- Mesebrynantemu crystallinum
- Mesebrynantemu nodiflorum
- Misopates orontium
- Morus alba
- Muscari commutatum
- Muscari comosum
- Muscari neglectum
- Muscari spreitzenhoferi
- Myrtus communis
- Olea europaea ssp. europaea
- Ononis reclinata
- Ononis spinosa
- Onopordon illyricum
- Onosma graecum
- Ophry apifera
- Ophrys ariadnae
- Ophrys basilissa
- Ophrys bombyliflora
- Ophrys cressa
- Ophrys cretica
- Ophrys creticola
- Ophrys episcopalism
- Ophrys fleischmannil
- Ophrys grigoriana
- Ophrys heldreichii
- Ophrys herae
- Ophrys iricolor
- Ophrys mammosa
- Ophrys omegaifera
- Ophrys phryganae
- Ophrys sicula
- Ophrys Sitiaca
- Ophrys tenthredinifera
- Opuntia ficus indica
- Orchis eregri
- Orchis anatolica
- Orchis collina
- Orchis fragrans
- Orchis italica
- Orchis laxiflora
- Orchis papilionacea ssp. heroica
- Orchis sitiaca
- Ornithogalum creticum
- Otanthus maritimus
- Oxalis pes-caprae
- Olea europaea oleaster
- Origanum onites
- Pallenis spinosa
- Pancratium maritimum
- Papaver purpureomarginatum
- Papaver rhoeas
- Parentucellia latifollia
- Parentucellia viscosa
- Parietaria cretica
- Parietaria judaica
- Paronychia macrosepala
- Petromarula pinnata
- Phagmalon graecum
- Phlomis cretica
- Phlomis lanata
- Phoenix theophrasti
- Picnomon acarna
- Pinus brutia
- Pistacia lentiscus
- Pistacia terebinthus
- Plantago afra
- Plantago bellardii
- Plantago lagopus
- Plantago lanceolata
- Plantago welbenii
- Platanus orientalis
- Polygala venulosa
- Polypogon maritimus
- Portulaca oleracea
- Prasium majus
- Prunella vulgaris
- Prunus prostrata
- Prunus webbii
- Psoralea bituminosa
- Ptilostemon chamaepeuce
- Punica granatum
- Pyrus spinosa
- Ranunculus asiaticus
- Ranunculus bullatus
- Ranunculus creticus
- Ranunculus cupreus
- Ranunculus ficaria
- Raphanus raphanistrum
- Reichardia picroides
- Reseda alba
- Reseda lutea
- Ricinus communis
- Romulea buldocodium
- Rosa canina
- Rosmarinus officinalis
- Rosularia serrata
- Rubia peregrinea
- Rubus sanctus
- Rumex acetosella
- Ruta chalepensis
- Salicornia europaea
- Salsola kali
- Salvia triloba
- Salvia verbenaca
- Salvia viridis
- Sarcopoterium spinosum
- Satureja nervosa
- Satureja thymbra
- Scabiosa maritina
- Scaligeria napiformis
- Scandix australis
- Scariola venimea
- Schoenus nigricans
- Scilla autummalis
- Scirpus holoschoenus
- Scolymus hispanicus
- Scorpiurus muricatus
- Scorzonera cretica
- Scrophularia eregrine
- Scrophularia lucida
- Scutellaria sieberi
- Sedum amplexicaule
- Sedum creticum
- Sedum litoreum
- Senecio rupestris
- Senecio vulgaris
- Serapias cordigera
- Serapias orientalis
- Sideritis curvidens
- Silene behen
- Silene colorata
- Silene cretica
- Silene gallica
- Silene holzmannii
- Silene sedoides
- Silene vulgaris
- Silybum marianum
- Sinapis alba
- Sinapis arvensis
- Sisymbrium irio
- Smilax aspera
- Smyrnium olusatrum
- Solanum luteum
- Sonchus oleraceus
- Spartium junceum
- Stachys cretica
- Stachys spinosa
- Staehelina ardorea
- Staehelina fruticosa
- Stellaria media
- Sternbergia greuteriana
- Symphytum creticum
- Tamarix smyrnensis
- Tamus communis
- Taraxacum alepicum
- Taraxacum minimum
- Tetragonolobus purpureus
- Teucrium divaricatum
- Thapsia garganica
- Thymalaea hirsuta
- Thymbra calostachya
- Thymus capitatus
- Tordylium apulum
- Tragopogon porrifolius
- Tribulus terrestris
- Trifolium angustifolium
- Trifolium campestre
- Trifolium repens
- Trifolium stellatum
- Trifolium uniflorum
- Trigonella graeca
- Tulipa cretica
- Tulipa saxatilis
- Typha domingensis
Sitia presents great floral interest. Amongst the hundreds of plant species it hosts, there are many endemic species encountered throughout Crete, endemic to Crete and Kasos, as well as unique species, known only to the southeast Aegean. The region as a whole belongs to the Mediterranean Vegetation Zone, where brush vegetation prevails. Variations in the vegetation are small, with some exceptions in areas such as the Vai Palm Forest and the surrounding area, as well as in some canyons with an intense presence of water, at least during winter months (Zakros canyon, Xerokambos, Chochlakia). The existence of great expanses of olive trees, vineyards and other tree crops is also very important for the composition of the island’s flora.
The Flora of Crete consists of trees and plants, which can also be found in other regions of Greece and the wider Mediterranean area. Out of the 2,000 species which can be found in Crete, 160 of them are endemic to the island (i.e. found nowhere else). This is easily explained as Crete is an island and its ecosystem is isolated due to the surrounding sea.
Compared to periods of the past, the vegetation of today has been diminished to a large degree. Mountains that previously had lush vegetation such as Psiloritis (Mountain Ida or Idi) are today almost bare.
Common trees in Crete are the tamarisk (Tamarix cretica), oak-, chestnut-, pine-, cypress- and the evergreen plane tree (Platanus orientalis). This grows close to water and it can grow up to 30 meters high. It is also quite often found in the village squares, offering its shade to people. A huge plane tree, or platanos in Greek, can be seen at Topolia village in west Crete on the road from Kissamos (Kastelli) to Elafonissi. It is so huge that the local community has declared it a “Monument of Nature”. Another famous plane tree is the one in Krasi village on the way from Iraklion to Lassithi Plateau (the trunk of which has the largest circumference of any plane tree in Europe). Undoubtedly, the most famous plane tree is the one in Gortyn, which according to mythology, was where Zeus “married” Europe after he kidnapped her from Asia Minor. Look for it when you visit this magnificent archaeological site in south Iraklion area.
Of singular natural beauty is the palm-forest of Vai, where Phoenix theophrasti grows, a variety unique to Crete. Another famous palm forest is the Preveli one. A much smaller and less known one exists at Agios Antonios in south Iraklion district.