Abstract

With its diverse landscapes, Morocco is regarded as one of the main biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean basin. Among the plant species recorded, the endemic species are of great scientific, ecological and ethnobotanical value. These species have long been used in traditional remedies and in the search for new active substances. Some are under significant pressure from exploitation, to the extent that they are now classified as vulnerable or endangered by the IUCN. With the aim of highlighting these species, this study was carried out in the Atlantic cork oak forest of Benslimane, where surveys were conducted using a systematic transect sampling method. All the species encountered are recorded, identified and preserved in a herbarium. The results led to the compilation of a list of 34 endemic species belonging to 13 families and 26 genera. The Asteraceae are the most prevalent (32.35%). Analysis of this list shows that 13 taxa are strictly endemic to Morocco (M), accounting for nearly 38% of the total number of species recorded; 8 taxa are shared between Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula (MI), 5 are shared between Morocco, the Iberian Peninsula and Algeria (MIA), 3 between Morocco and Algeria (MA), and 2 are shared between Morocco, the Iberian Peninsula, Algeria and the Canary Islands (MIAC). Furthermore, this list includes five rare or threatened species, five near-threatened species, and one endangered species. Specific conservation measures should be taken. This richness constitutes an exceptional natural heritage that it is essential to preserve and protect. It can contribute to the balance of ecosystems. Its exploitation should take place within a regulated framework, supported by programmes for the domestication and cultivation of plant species, in order to reduce the pressure on natural populations and prevent any overexploitation.