Floristic composition and phytogeography in a Mediterranean deltaic lake (Lake Burollos), Egypt

The flora of twenty islands and eighty shoreline sites at Lake Burollos, Egypt, was surveyed and classified in terms of life form spectrum and phytogeography. Distribution and abundance values were determined. A total of 135 flowering plants species, in 41 families characteristic of the Mediterranean coastal region of Egypt was observed. Annuals (48.1%) and cryptophytes (32.8%) predominated. The mono-regional Mediterranean species constitute 10.4% of the other flora. Species which are primarily Mediterranean but in some cases bi-regional or pluri-regional account for 43.9%. The number of plant species recorded on the shorelines was relatively higher than that on islands within the lake. In contrast, aquatic macrophytes such as Najas marina v. armata and Ruppia maritima were restricted to the lake water and were absent in the drainage channels emptying into the lake.