Greece, a land of islands and mountains situated at the crossroads of three continents, is blessed with a rich and distinctive flora, surpassing most other European countries in number of species. According to a current, rather conservative estimate there are c. 5,800 native or fully naturalized species of vascular plants. About 750 of these are not found elsewhere, giving Greece a higher percentage of endemic species than any comparable country or territory in Europe and the Mediterranean area. (. . .) (ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ)