Cyprus is an island with diverse landscapes, due to both its varied climate and geology and the presence of man since 8200 AD. High forests cover about 17% of the island, extending mainly on the Troodos and Pentadaktylos ranges. The hills are covered by shrubs alternating with built-up areas and cultivations. The plains of the lowlands are covered by cultivations (about 45% of the island) and habitations, but there are also small areas of natural habitats locally. The natural and semi-natural vegetation types as well as the cultivations, especially traditional ones such as tree orchards, constitute important habitats for rare plants.

The thermophilous Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) forms the most extended forests, from sea level to about 1400 m, and covers the Troodos and Pentadaktylos mountain ranges and part of the Akamas Peninsula. Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) forests occur mainly on Pentadaktylos. The semi-deciduous Quercus infectoria subsp. Veneris forms the only remnant stands at the western part of the island. The Pinus nigra subsp. pallasianaforest, the endemic Cedrus brevifoliaforest, and the stands of mountain junipers are restricted to the higher altitudes of Troodos. The golden oak (Quercus alnifolia) occurs under the conifers or in pure stands, at altitudes of 700 m and above all across the Troodos range.

Various types of shrubs are dominant in the thermo-Mediterranean and semi-arid zones. Olea europaea and Ceratonia siliquamaquis as well as Quercus cocciferasubsp. calliprinos tall shrubs are rather rare, while the low and spiny phrygana are the most common vegetation type. Juniperus phoenicea matorral is typical of the coastal zone. Dry grasslands develop in pastures and shrub and forest openings. A unique peat grassland (a fen) occurs at only two locations on Troodos.

The sandy coastal zone is generally narrow, with ammophilous communities on low embryonic and shifting dunes. Extended dune systems, including stabilized dunes with shrubs and dune slacks, develop at few places (Apostolos Andreas at Karpasia, Akamas), notably in connection with halophytic wetlands, i.e., Ammohostos, Agia Eirini and the salt lakes of Akrotiri and Larnaca.

A discontinuous and mostly narrow line of riparian shrub and forest develops along the numerous streams that dissect the island, often in the midst of cultivated land. Standing fresh water bodies are only artificial storage basins and dams, yet hydrophilous vegetation has been established at most of them.

The rocky habitats include chasmophytic communities developing on limestone (Akamas, Pentadaktylos), ultramafic rock (Troodos) and wet rocks, and also endemic serpentinophilous chamaephytic communities (Troodos, Akamas, and Lemesos Forest).

A total of 42 Annex I habitat types (Habitats Directive) have been confirmed in Cyprus, of which five are endemic habitat types, i.e.:

–          9390*   Scrub and low forest vegetation with Quercus alnifolia

–          93A0     Woodlands with Quercus infectoria

–          9590*   Cedrus brevifoliaforests

–          6460      Peat grasslands of Troodos

–          62B0*   Serpentinophilous grassland of Cyprus

The publication of the Flora of Cyprus by Meikle in 1977 and 1985 was a milestone in the study of the flora of Cyprus, which began in 1787 and has been continuous up to now with the discovery of new indigenous and alien taxa and new endemic taxa. Several scientific publications that followed contributed to an even more complete knowledge of the flora of Cyprus.

In total the indigenous flora (Pteridophytes and Spermatophytes) of Cyprus includes 1,946 species or subspecies, including 297 alien and hybrid taxa. The endemic flora includes 110 species or 141 taxaat subspecies levels (7.15% and 8.55% of the indigenous flora, respectively). The National Forest Park of Troodos is a center for endemics, hosting 10 local endemics and 70 cyprian endemics (50% of the total endemics), while the whole Troodos range hosts 102 endemic taxa. Other important areas for endemics are the Pentadaktylos range and the Akamas Peninsula with 61 and 43 cyprian endemic taxa, respectively. Some notable flora elements are the endemic trees Cedrus brevifolia and Quercus alnifolia, and also the endemic shrub Bosea cypria, a relic element of Tethys.