page_title: Crete Mediterranean forests
section_title: Flora
hierarchical_section_title: Crete Mediterranean forests / Flora
caption_attribution_description: English: Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) near Damasta, Crete, Greece
context_page_description: The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses Greek the island of Crete.
  The island has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome found in the lands in and around the Mediterranean Sea. Crete's diverse habitats, from shrublands to forests, sustain 1600 species of plants, including dozens of endemic species. The island was once characterized by forests, but centuries of human habitation have transformed the landscape, converting much of the original forest into shrublands, woodlands, fields, orchards, and pastures.
context_section_description: The island's range of topography and soils support diverse plant communities. At lower elevations, low shrubland (phrygana) is common. Phrygana includes many aromatic plants, and typical species include Sarcopoterium spinosum, Thymus capitatus, Phlomis fruticosa, Phlomis cretica,  Phlomis lanata, Cistus spp., Genista acanthoclada, Calicotome villosa, and spurge (Euphorbia spp.). There are also high shrublands (maquis) dominated by carob (Ceratonia siliqua), juniper (Juniperus phoenicea), and tree-spurge (Euphorbia dendroides), and woodlands and forests of evergreen and semi-evergreen oaks (Quercus coccifera and Quercus brachyphylla). Groves of Cretan date palm (Phoenix theophrasti) are found in a few stream gorges around the island.
  Woodlands of Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) and Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) are found at mid-elevations, along with maquis, and phrygana of Berberis cretica, Rhamnus saxatilis, Prunus prostrata, and Satureja spinosa. 
  Woodlands of Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) and Cretan maple (Acer sempervirens) are found at high elevations. Above the tree line (1600-1800 meters), thorny cushion scrublands grow on the highest peaks.
  There are 1,600 plant species on Crete, of which about 10% are endemic.
caption: Phlomis fruticosa on Crete.
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