Flora

Flora

The flora-vegetational diversity of the Republic of Macedonia, as a part of the biodiversity in general, is very rich and diverse. This refers equally to the microorganisms, lower plants (algae and lichens), fungi and higher plants. The blue-green algae - Cyanophyta, of which around 220 taxons are known (Petrovska, 1997) as well as the diatom algae Baccilariphyta (Diatomeae) with approximately 450 speices (Stojanov) are the most studied algae. The remaining the algae speices have not been studied completely. In regards to the study of lichens, there is data for certain mountain masives (such as on Shar Planina Moountain) (Kushan, 1953, Murati, 1993). In the category of fungi there are approximately 100 species Ascomycetes and 1400 species Basidiomycetes of fungi known; yet they are still under a phase of intensive study (Torti, Karadelev).

In this region, the Central Balkan Peninsula, an interest in the flora and vegetation of the higher plants dates from the middle of the last century. Specifically since 1839 when the German botanist A. Grisebach visited Macedonia for the first time. He then presented the results of his research in the well known book "Spicilegium Florae Rumelicae et Bithynicae I-II" (1843-1844). Then follows a great number of botanists, florists and fitocenologysts, such as Formanek, Vandas, Grecescu, Dorfler, Adamovich, Degen, Javorka, Wetstein, Bornmuller, Herzog, Halacsy, Velenovsky, Rohlena, Ronniger, Rechinger, Hayek, Behr, Zahn, Maly, Murbeck, Zernjavski, Koshanin, Lindtner, Slavnich, Petrovich, Rudski, Stojanov, Soshka, Grebenshchikov, Jurishich, Horvat, Horvatich, Em i dr. They have all visited Macedonia several times or have worked on a herberium material from its teritory. They describe numerous species that were new for the science and lower taxons. After the Second World War, a number of Macedonian botanists appeared with their own research and studies, including: Micevski, Em, Nikolovski, Cirimotich (Matvejeva), Gudevski, Dzekov, Drenkovski, Rizovski, Cekova, Zabjakin, Shopova & Sekovski, Matevski, Janich, Kostadinovski ets. While at the same time, a number of foreign botanists showed interest in the flora and vegetation of Macedonia and published new floristic and fitocenologycal reports.

It is estimated that the higher plant flora in the Republic of Macedonia encompasses around 3 000 species within 147 families. The type Lycopsida (with three families, five genuses and six types), Sphenopsida (with one family, one genus and 13 taxons - 7 species and 6 lower taxons), ferns ( Filicinae, with 15 families, 21 genuses and 60 taxons - 42 species and 18 lower taxons), Coniferophyta - with 4 families, 6 genuses and 22 taxons-15 species and 7 lower taxons, 50 families from the class Dicotyledonae with 235 genuses and 1630 taxons - 1028 species and 602 lower taxons. In the framework of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts through the edition of the "Flora of the Republic of Macedonia" and under the direction of the Academician Kiril Micevski there is intensive research on the remaining families of this class. The endemic and relict species are an exceptionally significant component to the floristic diversity of Macedonia. According to the Micevski's and Matevski's data (1987) there are 137 endemic species within the teritory of the Republic of Macedonia; out of which 111 are exclusively connected to this teritory while the remaining species can be seen on the mountains bordering Greece, Albania, SR Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

The vegetational diversity in the Republic of Macedonia is also rich and diverse. According to the available data, there are over 260 associations which are included in more than 90 unions, 50 orders and around 30 classes. The water, muddy, phalophita as well as maddow vegetation are relatively well studied. The antrophogenous influence is the bigest above these are vegetational species and part of them can be seen in fragmented state. The vegetation of the hilly grasslands is currently under intensive study and its finalization is expected soon. In the upcoming years, significant attention will have to be paid to the valley vegetation from the mountain and subalpian belt; as well as to the mountain and high-mountain vegetation. Most of the researched vegetational species have to be revized in a sense of complience by types, as well as nomenclature's compliance with the International Kodex for phitocenological Nomenclature.

Sources:

Micevski, K., Matevski, V., 1987. Teritorijalna podela endema u SR Makedoniji i problem njihove ugrozenosti. ANUBiH. Posebna izdanja.Odd. prir. nauka. 14:199-207. Sarajevo;

Matevski, V., Micevski, K., Sekovski, @., 1990. Thymus karadzicensis Matevski & Micevski spec. nov. in der flora von Makedonien. Razprave IV razreda SAZU. 31(11):169-178. Ljubljana

Matevski, V., Kostadinovski, M., 1996. Pregled na rastitelni vidovi cii locus classicus se naoga vo granicite na trite nacionalni parkovi vo Republika Makedonija.Balkanska Konferencija "Nacionalnite parkovi i nivna uloga vo zastitata na biodiverzitetot na Balkanskiot Poluostrov", 89-98

Micevski, K. (1985): Flora in the Republic of Macedonia. MANU, 1(1):1-152

Micevski, K. (1993): Flora in the Republic of Macedonia. MANU, 1(2):153-391

Micevski, K. (1995): Flora in the Republic of Macedonia. MANU, 1(3):503-548

Micevski, K. (1998): Flora in the Republic of Macedonia. MANU, 1(4): 781-1113

The presence of the endemic, relict and rare flora species in the Republic of Macedonia is of exceptional importance for science. According to the studies that have been undertaken up to this point, it has been concluded that there are a large number of such species. Data specific to the more significant endemic, relict and rare flora species in the Republic of Macedonia is shown in the following list:

List of endemic, relict and rare flora species In the Republic of Macedonia

Endemic plant species

*Viola arsenica*	*Vernascum adenantum*	*Centaurea grbavacensis*
*Astragalus cernjavski*	*Asplenium macedonicum*	*Astragalus gracanini*
*Viola alsarenis*	*Moeringia minutiflora*	*Saturea fucarekiana*
*Verbascum scardicolum*	*Verbascum herzogi*	*Pulsatilla halleri ssp. macedonica*
*Potentilla doerfleri*	*Campanula debarensis*	*Saturea adamovicii*
*Centaurea galicicae*	*Tulipa marianae*	*Sempervivum macedonicum*
*Centaurea tomorosii*	*Hedysarum macedonicum*	*Pedicularis limnogena*
*Crocus pelistericus*	*Salvia jurisicii*	*Verbascum pachyurum*
*Dianthus capinensis*	*Ferulago macedonica*	*Alkanna noneiformis*
*Silene viscariopsis*	*Sambucus deborensis*	*Tulipa scardica*
*Centaurea kozjakensis*	*Colchicum macedonicum*
*Centaurea marmorea*	*Pedicularis ferdinandii*

Ilirian, Scardo-Pindus and Moesina endemics

*Sesleria corabensis*	*Narthecium scardicum*	*Dianthus scardicus*
*Silene lerchenfeldiana*	*Draba korabiensis*	*Onobrychus scardica*
*Sempervivum macedonicum*	*Sideritis scardica*	*Carex rigida var. macedonica*
*Solenanthus scardicus*	*Asperula dorfleri*	*Crocus scardicus*
*Lilium albanicum*	*Pinus peuce*	*Rhamnus ruopestris*
*Digitalis viridiflora*	*Kenthratus junceum*	*Pancicia serbica*
*Abies borisii regis*	*Draba scardica*	*Anthyllis aurea B.*

Relict plant species

*Thymus oehmianus*	*Campanula formanekiana*	*Viola kosaninii*
*Crocus cvijici*	*Ramonda nathaliae*	*Acer heldreichii*
*Pinus heldreichii*	*Pinus peuce*	*Ostrya carpinifolia*
*Ruscus hypoglossum*	*Narthecium scardicum*	*Swerthia punctata*
*Taxus baccata*	*Trolius europaeus*	*Rhamus rupestris*
*Gentiana asclepiadea*

Boreal, arctic relicts

*Trifolium pilczii*	*Vaccinium uliginosum*	*Carex laevis*
*Dryas octopetala*	*Carex curvula*	*Arabis alpina*
*Arctostaphylus uva ursi*	*Carex rigida var. macedonica*	*Salix retusa*
*Salix reticulata*	*Salix herbacea*	*Primula minima*