Conservation of the Rare and Endangered Plants Endemic to Spain

Spain is the European country with the richest and most exclusive flora. When the Canary Islands are included, there are approximately 1300 endemic plant species of which many have a high biological interest. Unfortunately a high number of these species are on the verge of extinction. Recent surveys of these endangered plant species of continental Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands (Gómez-Campo, 1987, 1996; Sainz et al., 1994) denote around 600 endemic species which, according to the categories followed by IUCN, are threatened to some degree. The current situation could develop, in the near future, not only with the loss of very important germplasm useful to breeding programmes, but also with reduced biodiversity which would undermine ecosystem stability.