The Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center (BERC) has published a new scientific study shedding light on the rich yet increasingly threatened plant diversity of the Palestinian West Bank. The study, “An updated checklist of the vascular flora native to the State of Palestine – West Bank” , documents 1,710 native plant taxa, confirming the region as a significant biodiversity hotspot within the eastern Mediterranean.
The findings reveal that this diversity spans 652 genera and 102 plant families, reflecting the unique ecological and geographical position of the West Bank. However, the study also raises serious conservation concerns, reporting that 28.2% of native plant species are classified as threatened, while 29 taxa are already extinct or possibly extinct at the national level due to habitat degradation, land-use change, and environmental pressures.
Importantly, the research identifies 151 endemic and sub-endemic plant species, including the uniquely Palestinian Iris lortetii var. samariae, highlighting the global significance of local conservation efforts.
BERC emphasizes that these findings call for urgent, science-based conservation actions, particularly in biodiversity-rich mountainous regions. The study provides a critical baseline for future biodiversity monitoring, environmental planning, and sustainable conservation strategies in Palestine.
