Included here are the Canaries, a group of twelve volcanic islands situated in the eastern Atlantic. Among the largest from west to east are La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. Like in other parts of Macaronesia laurel forests predominate.

Canarian Laural Forest

These evergreen forests, which occur at altitudes ranging from 400-1300 m, are dominated by four species of laurel (Lauraceae) - Apollonias barbusana, Laurus azorica, Ocotea foetens and Persea indica. In their natural state they are often dense and luxuriant, but in some of the more exposed areas they can be reduced to low gnarled woodland. They are also generally confined to the wetter north coast areas of the western islands. Other important tree species include the endemic Arbutus canariensis (Ericaceae), Haberdenia bahamensis and Pleiomeris canariensis (Myrsinaceae), Ilex platyphylla (Aquifoliaceae), Prunus lusitanica (Rosaceae), Salix canariensis (Salicaceae) and Visnea mocanera (Ternstroemiaceae). The endemic woody liana Smilax canariensis (Liliaceae) may also be present. Endemic plants are also well represented in the shrub and herbaceous ground layers with shrubs such as Bystropogon canariensis, Cedronella canariensis and Siderites canariensis (Lamiaceae), Carex canariensis and C. perraudieriana (Cyperaceae), Convolvulus canariensis (Convolvulaceae), Crambe gigantea (Brassicaceae), Gesnouinia arborea (Urticaceae), Hypericum grandiflorum (Hypericaceae), Isoplexis canariensis (Scrophulariaceae), Rhamnus glandulosa (Rhamnaceae), Solanum nava (Solanaceae), Viburnum rigidus (Caprofoliaceae), the evergreen climber Hedera canariensis (Araliaceae),  and herbs such as Canarina canariensis (Campanulaceae), Drusa glandulosa (Apiaceae), Geranium canariensis (Geraniaceae), Ixanthus viscosus (Gentianaceae), Luzula canariensis (Juncaceae) and Ranunculus cortusifolius (Ranunculaceae).

Canarian Pine Forest

Natural pine forest dominated by the endemic Pinus canariensis (Pinaceae) occurs at altitudes ranging from 1200-2000 m on the islands of Gran Canaria, Hierro, La Palma and Tenerife. It is generally fairly open with few shrubs or herbs. Of the few shrubs that do occur, on Gran Canaria, the most common include several endemic species such as Adenocarpus foliolosus (Fabaceae), Cistus symphytifolius (Cistaceae) and various species of Lotus and Micromeria like Lotus spartioides (Fabaceae) and Micromeria pineolens (Lamiaceae). Other endemic shrubs include Argyranthemum canariensis (Asteraceae), Descurainia lemsii (Brassicaceae), Isoplexis isobelliana (Scrophulariaceae), Polycarpaea aristata (Caryophyllaceae), while the few herbaceous species include endemics such as the perennial grass Festuca bornmuelleri (Poaceae), Lactucosonchus webbii (Asteraceae), Orchis canariensis (Orchidaceae) and Silena pogonocalyx (Caryophyllaceae). 

References

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