| Popis: |
The specific geographical location of Bulgaria, its geological history, and the varied relief underlie the contemporary richness of the Bulgarian flora. It includes 3700 species of vascular plants, among them 170 Bulgarian endemic species and 100 subspecies, and about 200 Balkan endemic species and subspecies. Analysis of the origin and the relationships between the various elements of Bulgarian flora demonstrates 92 types of florogeographical (floristic) elements. Nine Bulgarian mountain ranges and massifs may be ranked as follows according to the number of their endemic plant taxa: Stara Planina (90 species and subspecies), Rhodopes (over 80), Pirin (over 70), Rila (about 50), Vitosha (25), Strandja (19), Sredna Gora (12), Belasitsa (eight), and Osogovo (six). The complex nature of the Bulgarian flora, its high species diversity, and the relatively high percentage of endemism determine its high conservation value |
