Vegetación rupícola
The
Canary Islands’ landscape features a highly diverse topography, in which the
vertical element plays a prominent role, with the presence of numerous
cliffs, precipices, escarpments and steep slopes, characterised by a highly
fractured and fissured surface, upon which a special type of vegetation
known as rupicolous or fissure-dwelling vegetation grows. The abundance of
erosional basins on all slopes and at different altitudes, as well as the
microclimatic diversity of the archipelago, allows for a very high level of
floristic diversity within this type of vegetation, despite the difficulty
of colonising areas characterised by steep slopes.
Furthermore, these environments often support plants which, whilst not native to the area, found a safe haven here in the past from the pressure exerted by livestock. Ecological conditions, particularly humidity and temperature, favour the greater prevalence of rock-dwelling communities in north- and north-east-facing areas; and although they extend from the coast to the mountain peaks, they thrive best in the humid environments of the mid-altitude zones. Many species are confined to small areas, whilst others are distributed across vast areas throughout the islands.
Of the many rock-dwelling plant communities found throughout the archipelago, the Crassulaceae of the genera Aeonium, Monanthes, Greenovia and Aichryson stand out for their abundance and wide distribution, followed by numerous endemic species of the genera Sonchus, Silene, Sideritis and Micromeria.
Flora
Among the numerous species that could be cited as being particularly well-adapted to the rocky habitats of the Canary Islands are the bejeques or veroles (Aeonium canariense, Aeonium sedifolium, Aeonium decorum, Aeonium ciliatum, Aeonium nobile, Aeonium tabulaeforme, Aeonium lindleyi...), the ‘pelotillas’ (Monanthes laxiflora, Monanthes pallens, Monanthes polyphylla, Monanthes minima…), the ‘melosas’ (Aichryson laxum, Aichryson tortuosum, Aichryson parlatorei, Aichryson punctatum...), the Sonchus species (Sonchus hierrensis, Sonchus radicuatus, Sonchus tectifolius...), the ‘conejeras’ (Silene canariensis, Silene lagunensis...), the chahorras (Sideritis nutans, Sideritis gomerae...), sea rosemary (Camphylanthus salsoloides), the lechuguillas (Reichardia ligulata, Reichardia famarae...), the amargosa (Vieraea laevigata), rock mallow (Lavatera acerifolia), Anaga sage (Salvia broussonetii), rock thistle (Carlina canariensis), sea lavender (Limonium preauxii, Limonium puberulum, Limonium perezii...), woolly pericallis (Pericallis lanata), the ‘mamita’ (Allagopappus canariensis), wild thyme (Micromeria helianthemifolia), the ‘cardoncillos’ (Ceropegia dichotoma, Ceropegia fusca), rock cabbages (Crambe laevigata, Crambe arborea...), and a very long etc.
Among the rock-dwelling ferns, the almost constant presence of the Christmas fern (Polypodium macaronesicum) and the Canary Islands Davallia (Davallia canariensis) is particularly noteworthy.
Among the lichens covering numerous basalt walls and columns, several species of the genus Rocella stand out, particularly Rocella canariensis and Rocella fuciformes: the famous orchillas, from which a purple dye is extracted, and whose harvesting and export to Europe was a major source of wealth for the islands for several centuries, from the earliest voyages to the Canary Islands in Phoenician and Greek times (when the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were named ‘Purpurarias’ due to the large quantities of these lichens found there), right up to the 19th century, when the discovery of synthetic dyes brought this industry to an end once and for all.
Fauna
In the ravines, cliffs, rocky outcrops and other rugged terrain that make up the rock biotope, there is an abundance of wildlife – particularly birds – which seek out these steep areas as a safe haven for breeding, for roosting at night, for shelter from inclement weather and to escape human disturbance.
These include the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the barn owl (Tyto alba), the common swift (Apus unicolor), the Canary Island stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae), the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the raven (Corvus corax), the Cory’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), the Junonia dove (Columba junoniae), the long-eared owl (Asio otus), the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and the blackcap warbler (Sylvia melanocephala).
Furthermore, these environments often support plants which, whilst not native to the area, found a safe haven here in the past from the pressure exerted by livestock. Ecological conditions, particularly humidity and temperature, favour the greater prevalence of rock-dwelling communities in north- and north-east-facing areas; and although they extend from the coast to the mountain peaks, they thrive best in the humid environments of the mid-altitude zones. Many species are confined to small areas, whilst others are distributed across vast areas throughout the islands.
Of the many rock-dwelling plant communities found throughout the archipelago, the Crassulaceae of the genera Aeonium, Monanthes, Greenovia and Aichryson stand out for their abundance and wide distribution, followed by numerous endemic species of the genera Sonchus, Silene, Sideritis and Micromeria.
Flora
Among the numerous species that could be cited as being particularly well-adapted to the rocky habitats of the Canary Islands are the bejeques or veroles (Aeonium canariense, Aeonium sedifolium, Aeonium decorum, Aeonium ciliatum, Aeonium nobile, Aeonium tabulaeforme, Aeonium lindleyi...), the ‘pelotillas’ (Monanthes laxiflora, Monanthes pallens, Monanthes polyphylla, Monanthes minima…), the ‘melosas’ (Aichryson laxum, Aichryson tortuosum, Aichryson parlatorei, Aichryson punctatum...), the Sonchus species (Sonchus hierrensis, Sonchus radicuatus, Sonchus tectifolius...), the ‘conejeras’ (Silene canariensis, Silene lagunensis...), the chahorras (Sideritis nutans, Sideritis gomerae...), sea rosemary (Camphylanthus salsoloides), the lechuguillas (Reichardia ligulata, Reichardia famarae...), the amargosa (Vieraea laevigata), rock mallow (Lavatera acerifolia), Anaga sage (Salvia broussonetii), rock thistle (Carlina canariensis), sea lavender (Limonium preauxii, Limonium puberulum, Limonium perezii...), woolly pericallis (Pericallis lanata), the ‘mamita’ (Allagopappus canariensis), wild thyme (Micromeria helianthemifolia), the ‘cardoncillos’ (Ceropegia dichotoma, Ceropegia fusca), rock cabbages (Crambe laevigata, Crambe arborea...), and a very long etc.
Among the rock-dwelling ferns, the almost constant presence of the Christmas fern (Polypodium macaronesicum) and the Canary Islands Davallia (Davallia canariensis) is particularly noteworthy.
Among the lichens covering numerous basalt walls and columns, several species of the genus Rocella stand out, particularly Rocella canariensis and Rocella fuciformes: the famous orchillas, from which a purple dye is extracted, and whose harvesting and export to Europe was a major source of wealth for the islands for several centuries, from the earliest voyages to the Canary Islands in Phoenician and Greek times (when the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were named ‘Purpurarias’ due to the large quantities of these lichens found there), right up to the 19th century, when the discovery of synthetic dyes brought this industry to an end once and for all.
Fauna
In the ravines, cliffs, rocky outcrops and other rugged terrain that make up the rock biotope, there is an abundance of wildlife – particularly birds – which seek out these steep areas as a safe haven for breeding, for roosting at night, for shelter from inclement weather and to escape human disturbance.
These include the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the barn owl (Tyto alba), the common swift (Apus unicolor), the Canary Island stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae), the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the raven (Corvus corax), the Cory’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), the Junonia dove (Columba junoniae), the long-eared owl (Asio otus), the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and the blackcap warbler (Sylvia melanocephala).
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Visual Guide to the Canary Islands
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