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Terrestrial plants

The Calanques: a plant biodiversity hotspot

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Aleppo Pine © P. Richaud
The Mediterranean region represents 10% of the world's plant biodiversity, although it only covers 1.6% of the earth's surface... Moreover, of the more than 900 plant species recorded in the National Park, 38 are protected and 43 are recognised as remarkable!

 

From the hills...

Along the rocky ridges and screes, you can see the Genista lobelii, a small thorny shrub that resists the winds thanks to its cushion-like shape. Growing in the scree and limestone pavement, the Arenaria provincialis is a protected endemic species: it is found only in Provence and nowhere else in the world.

The outlines of the Aleppo Pines, often tortuous because they are exposed to violent winds, dominate the garrigues. At the edge of the paths, one can see rosemary, thyme, and even Cistus albidus.

 

...to the coast

The coastline has a concentration of halophytes, which are plants that tolerate the salt burn of the sea, such as Astragalus tragacantha, which has adapted to the extreme conditions of its environment, thanks to its cushion-like shape and its small hairy leaves.

 

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