Botany

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Sierra Nevada presents unique characteristics due to its biological diversity. This massif has been subject of study by several botanists since 18th century (Boissier, Willkomm, Bory, etc) until nowadays. Remarkable traits presented by this landscape are, on one side, high plant diversity (2100 species, 20% of the Iberian flora) and a large number of endemics (around 80 species). The flora of Sierra Nevada is conditioned by the presence of Northern African elements which arrived millions of years ago (when Africa and Europe formed a unit) and other Central European- Alpine elements (which arrived during the last Glacial Maximum, around 21500 years ago). The interest brought up among scientists is increasing, not only because of the number of Mountain range endemic species, but also because of the peninsular endemisms present in the area and the rare species present only in this place, from the whole southern region of the Iberian Peninsula.