Ophrys apifera, known in Europe as the bee orchid, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Ophrys, in the family of Orchidaceae. It serves as an example of sexually deceptive pollination and floral mimicry, a highly selective and highly evolved plant–pollinator relationship.
A special area of conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. They are to protect the 220 habitats and approximately 1,000 species listed in annex I and II of the directive which are considered to be of European interest following criteria given in the directive. They must be chosen from the sites of Community importance by the member states and designated SAC by an act assuring the conservation measures of the natural habitat.
The genus Ophrys is a large group of orchids from the alliance Orchis in the subtribe Orchidinae. They are widespread across much of Europe, North Africa, Caucasus, the Canary Islands, and the Middle East as far east as Turkmenistan.
The Habitats Directive is a directive adopted by the European Community in 1992 as a response to the Berne Convention. The European Community was reformed as the European Union the following year, but the directive is still recognised.
Lake Engure Nature Park is a protected park in Latvia covering 197.62 km2 (76.30 sq mi), named for Lake Engure. It was designated as a nature spot in 1998.
A Site of Community Importance (SCI) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at a favourable conservation status of a natural habitat type or of a species and may also contribute significantly to the coherence of Natura 2000, and/or contributes significantly to the maintenance of biological diversity within the biogeographic region or regions concerned.
Anthemis glaberrima is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only on the islets of Agria Gramvousa and Imeri Gramvousa, near the northwestern tip of the island of Crete in Greece. Its natural habitats are rocky shores and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.
Helosciadium bermejoi, synonym Apium bermejoi, is a critically endangered species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae.
Bupleurum kakiskalae is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. It is endemic to western Crete, an island which is part of Greece.
Naufraga balearica is an extremely rare species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, and the only species in the genus Naufraga. It is endemic to the Spanish island of Majorca, where it is found only at the base of cliffs at the north of the island near Pollença. A population was discovered on Corsica in 1981, but it had died out by 1983, and it is not clear whether it arrived naturally. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and rocky shores.
Barnack Hills & Holes is a 23.3-hectare (58-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Barnack in Cambridgeshire. It is also a national nature reserve. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. In 2002 it was designated as a Special Area of Conservation, to protect the orchid-rich grassland as part of the Natura 2000 network of sites throughout the European Union.
The natural history of the island of Rhodes is determined by its geographic position, climate and geological diversity. Rhodes is in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin close to the coast of Turkey, and the flora and fauna are a mixture of Mediterranean and Asian elements. Rhodes is in the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests ecoregion.
Leopoldia gussonei is a plant in the family Asparagaceae, endemic to the Island of Sicily.
Galium litorale is a rare species of bedstraw in the Rubiaceae family. It is endemic to the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. In Italian it is known as caglio costiero.
Narcissus nevadensis is a species of the genus Narcissus (daffodils) in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is classified in Section Nevadensis. It is native to the Baetic System in Spain. It is considered an endangered species. In 1992 it was designated as a 'priority species' under Annex II of the Habitats Directive in the European Union, which means areas in which it occurs can be declared Special Areas of Conservation, if these areas belong to one of the number of habitats listed in Annex I of the directive.
Centaurea horrida is a species of the genus Centaurea which is only found growing in Sardinia and associated islands. Due to their limited ability to disperse, they are isolated from other environments, and have a very low colonizing ability.
Daphne rodriguezii is a shrub, of the family Thymelaeaceae. It is endemic to Menorca, one of the Balearic Islands that belongs to Spain.
Dioscorea chouardii is a herbaceous plant in the family Dioscoreaceae. It is endemic to a single cliff located in the Pyrenees of Aragon, Spain.
The biogeographic regions of Europe are biogeographic regions defined by the European Environment Agency. They were initially limited to the European Union member states, but later extended to cover all of Europe west of the Urals, including all of Turkey. The map of biogeographic regions is deliberately simplified and ignores local anomalies. It is intended primarily as a framework for coordinating and reporting overall results of conservation efforts.
The Majjistral Nature and History Park is a nature reserve in Mellieha, Malta. The geographic area includes the coastal area in Golden Bay to Il-Prajjet and Ix- Xagħra l-Ħamra. It was declared a national park in the Malta Government Gazette by Legal Notice 251 of 2007 in September 2007. The park is named for the northwestern region or wind.
