The island is dominated by pear-shaped vegetation with the main species of ladanies (laudanum), afanes (Sarcopoterium spinosum), ephedres (ephedra foeminea), levandes (lavender), reikia (heather), kritama (samphire), kapari (caper), rigani (oregano), dendrolivano (rosemary), thymari (thyme), faskomilo (sage), styrakes (styrax), throumbia (summer savory) and galatsides (milkweed).
The trees that are found here are the thalassokedra (Juniperus oxycedrus), thamnokyparissa (Juniperus phoenicea), pournaria (Quercus coccifera), aries (holm oaks), fyllikia (phillyrea latifolia), skina (pistacia), cocorevithies (pistacia terebinthus), agrielies (wild olive tree), haroupies (carob trees), koumaries (arbutus unedo), gortsies (pyrus spinosa), krategei (crataegus), pikramygdalies (bitter almond trees), armyrikia (tamarisks).
In the central and northern areas there are rich pine forests, which formerly covered almost the entire island, and near the streams there are platania (plane trees), sfendamia (maples), pikrodafnes (oleanders) and lygaries (chaste trees).
It is important that in a few areas of the island there are clusters of Theophrastus palm trees.
Throughout Karpathos, 923 plant species have been recorded, of which 66 are endemic to Greece, 28 are endemic to Crete, eleven are endemic to the Kasos-Karpathos complex and nine are endemic to Karpathos-Saria.
The most important species that are endemic to the island or to Greece are found only here are silines (silene), agriograryfallo (dianthus fruticosus), kambanoules (campanula), amarando (limonium), paeonia, fteri (pteridium aquilinum), agrioskorda (allium), irida (iris) whereas other important species are crocus, viola, kolhiko (colchicum pusillum) and orhidea (orchid).
Source: http://www.naturagraeca.com
