There are as many as 923 plant species in the Park, that is, approximately one sixth of the national floristic species and one third of the regional ones. Of these, around a hundred are rare and very rare species, including species of eastern Mediterranean origin. Recently, 61 species have been reported as Lucanian flora, while 36 species are endemic and sub-endemic, that is, with a rather limited range.
There are woods, and the garrigue or pseudo-steppe is very extensive, originating over the millennia due to the destruction of the woodland extensions, the run-off of the soil, and the intense pastoral activity. However, the garrigue is an environment characterized by rich biodiversity.
Just to name a few, among the very widespread species there are shrub thyme, thorny thyme, Ionian rock thyme, silver sage, mountain savory, Tommasini flax, and thorny euphorbia.
Other plants present are Thomas saffron, Basilicata onion, Muscat garlic (rather rare), Sicilian iris, Adalgisa hen’s milk, endemic, Mediterranean asphodel, yellow asphodel, ferula, sea squill.
The grasses of the Stipa genus are very widespread, such as the endemic Mediterranean fairy flax, the rare Lagasca fairy flax, the annual fairy flax, the Mediterranean poodle, the common ceres and many others.
Among the rocky vegetation there are also amphiadriatic species, that is, present both in regions of Italy overlooking the Adriatic and on the opposite shore of the same sea, from which they arrived in remote geological eras, surviving here almost as if they were living fossils, because sometimes they disappeared in their areas of origin, that is, the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece. Examples include, among others, the beautiful Apulian bellflower, the Apulian scrofularia, the southern turnip. Of note is the presence of small spontaneous orchids, such as the ophrys mateolana, endemic to this area.
