Habitats
The plants are classified according to six general habitats - Coastal areas, Humid areas, Plains & cultivated areas, Maquis, garrigues & forests, Deserts and Highlands. Classification is made more for purposes of convenience than to infer any precise plant requirements, although it does provide a rough idea of favoured conditions. There is considerable overlap between the different groups and any given species may well be found across several habitats. Specific needs or preferences are indicated in the individual plant datasheets.

Coastal areas
Includes rocky and sandy beaches, and saltmarshes. Generally milder climate, less rainfall and high-salt conditions.

saltmarshCoastal lake at the end of summer

Humid areas
For moisture-loving species - generally freshwater sources.

Plains & cultivated areas
Dominated by human activity, including artificial watering and tilling, grazing and use of agricultural chemicals.

Maquis, garrigues & forests
Major natural habitat - relatively dry. There is still much discussion over the precise definitions of maquis and garrigue, but it is generally considered that they represent stages in the degeneration of evergreen forest.

GarrigueGarrigue

Deserts
Er, hot and dry and sandy...

Highlands
Colder, windier and wetter. In northern areas (i.e. S. France, N. Italy etc.), the highlands are not strictly Mediterranean and the climate is more oceanic - the plant species are often the same as those of the rest of Europe.

Soil composition varies considerably throughout the region and no soil is restricted to a particular area. However, as a general rule, garrigue tends to form on high-lime soils/rocks.

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