Spatial Distribution and Environmental Description of the Endemic Flora of the Pyrenees

A detailed knowledge of the endemic plant species in the Pyrenees benefits both conservation policy and ecological research. Here we describe the spatial distribution patterns and floristic and ecological aspects of the updated list of Pyrenean endemisms after the on line edition of the Atlas of vascular flora of the Pyrenees. A total of 88 unambiguous endemic plant species have been recorded in the Pyrenees (excluding apomictic and other non-clear taxa), which represents the 2.4% of its total native flora. They belong to 27 families, and are geographically concentrated in the central part of the chain. Pyrenean endemics present a narrower distribution and grow at higher altitude than non-endemics, but do not present spatial distribution breaks along the mountain chain. The distribution of the endemic taxa also indicates that East-West dispersal is more limited than the North-South, despite the altitudinal barrier. Endemisms are mostly chamaephytes and are overrepresented in calcicolous rocky habitats. Overall, these results indicate that the isolation of the Pyrenees during the glacial cycles might have been moderate, and serve as a starting point for further integrative investigations