Article

The awareness of the importance of exploring and safeguarding the floristic diversity of Mediterranean islands has increased dramatically in the last few years. A symposium on the topic was held in Ajaccio, Corsica, in October 1993. Since then, a Mediterranean Islands Plant Specialist Group has been established within IUCN's Species Survival Commission, which has developed a strategic pian for action. From this document, it is obvious that there is still a major "taxonomic impediment", or lack ofbasic knowledge ofthe plants themselves, that hinders the implementation of fully openitional action plans for the efficient safeguard of the Mediterranean islands' botanical patrimony. A number of relevant questions is addressed here, such as: How much do island floras contribute to the floristic diversity of the Mediterranean region as a whole? What is the historical, evolutionary background oftoday's insular floras? To what extent did human activities either enrich or deplete these floras? How well are island plants known, and where are our gaps ofknowledge? What kinds ofislands and island habitats, being particularly at risk and of special interest, olfer themselves as prime targets for future, scientifically based action plans?