Sixteen new records for the flora of Lebanon

Abstract

Flora is an assembly of native plants in a bionetwork of a geographical area. Floral characteristics and plant biodiversity are very imperative for mankind because they support life in the biosphere at all probable spatial scales. They are of great prominence in local and global energy balance since they strongly impact soil properties and serve as wildlife habitat. They can flourish sometimes in biodiversity hotspots, which are earth’s most biologically rich yet vulnerable terrestrial regions [1]. Myers recognized the Mediterranean basin as one of the world’s “hotspots” comprising unique and high percentages of the world’s biodiversity in relatively small areas. Many reasons have been put forward to explicate such natural wealth, but for our purposes here, it is vital to recognize the outcomes of the geographic and climatic variations in the nature of the present biodiversity of the Mediterranean basin [2]. The Flora of the Mediterranean encompasses more than 25000 species of flowering plant, this is nearly 10% of all notorious flowering plant species on earth, although the land area of the basin is only 1.5% of the earth’s land surface [3]. The East Mediterranean, precisely the Levantine uplands [4] where Lebanon is included in this basin, is considered as one of the most stirring spots of conservation in the world. [5] In a fairly small land area, Lebanon embraces an extremely high level of biodiversity. By setting Lebanon in its universal context, the importance of this richness in its fauna and flora can be better valued. In fact, what can seem common at a local level can be highly scarce at global one [6]. The country makes up only 0.007% of the world land surface area but is a shelter to 1.11% of world plant species. Lebanon’s floral diversity is one of the premiers in the Mediterranean (more than 3150 plant species), a territory that is considered to be one of the most biologically diverse in the world. About 12% of plant species in Lebanon are endemic and this is measured as a high rate of endemism. Lebanon is also home to nine nature reserves, three biosphere reserves, one UNESCO World Heritage Site, and 15 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) recognized by Birdlife International [7][8]. This very rich and matchless biodiversity of Lebanon is chiefly due to its site in the far eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, mountainous topography (altitudinal diversity), and the great variety in its climatic conditions. This sundry topography gives rise to many microclimates, favorable to the occurrence of many plant and animal species and communities [9,10]. Geographically, Lebanon, a narrow strip of territory nearly 160 miles long and 20 to 50 miles wide, is a mountainous country situated on the eastern shore of the Sixteen new records for the flora of Lebanon