Rare and Endemic Plants in the Southern Mountain Ecosystems of Albania, their Threats and Diversity

The study highlights flora and vegetation richness in the mountain ecosystems in Southern Albania, focusing mainly on Çika, Këndërvica, and Tomorri Mts. The data are collected in more than 100 relevés during field trips, carried out in periods of intensive vegetation. It shows the presence of 11 endemic taxa, 23 nearendemics and more than 60 Balkan endemics. Two new species for science are described recently (Gymnospermium maloi Kit Tan Shuka and Campanula aureliana Bogdanović, Rešetnik, Brullo Shuka) and some others are confirmed about 100 years after (Sesleria albanica Ujhelyi and Stachys sericophylla Halacsy). Main threats, especially for the endemics and rare taxa of the southern region of Albania, are presented in this study, with recommendations for future steps. Some Natura2000 habitats are identified and a relevance of different habitat types like EUNIS, and Syntaxonomic classifications are linked together. The main aim of this study was the identification and presentation of floristic and vegetation values of this wide natural ecosystem and putting them into the function of science. The results indicate the area as the richest in the country, due to the insignificant influence of human factor and diversity of climate and terrestrial elements.