The stenoendemism of high-mountain flora of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)

Abstract

Among the numerous mountain endemics in the Balkans, the local ones, the distribution of which is restricted only to one massif or geographically neighbouring mountains, pose a peculiar and very interesting geobotanical problem. The analysis was concerned with over 70 local endemic taxa distributed in the mountains of Serbia and Montenegro. The age of each endemic taxon was established according to Turill's division (t927). The number of local endemics in each studied mountain is correlated with height, steepness, geological diversity and degree of isolation, as well as the impact of glacial events. It is established that the great and geologically diverse massifs, i.e. Prokletije and Šarplanina. are characterized by the largest number of local endemics compared with the other mountains studied. The presence of both relict and young endemic originating from Tertiary and glacial ancestors indicate that the "nucleus" of high-mountain flora of the central Balkans is very old'