This document summarizes key information about four plant species that are endemic to Poland, meaning their natural distribution is limited to Poland: 1) Tatra larkspur and Polish larch, which are found exclusively in the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland. Tatra larkspur reaches 50-100 cm tall and has intensely blue or purple flowers, while Polish larch is a tree up to 40 m tall with needle-like leaves and small cones. 2) Chrysanthemum zawadzki, found only in the Pieniny Mountains, is a plant up to 60 cm tall with white or pink-purple flowers. 3) Mountain avens, also known as white dryas

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Poland's contemporary flora is a result of climatic changes and the
diffusion of species in the postglacial period. Due to its lowland location
and moderate, transitory climate Poland has the greatest diversity of plants
in Central Europe. As there are no natural barriers in the east and west of
the country that could stop plant migrations, most plants in Poland are
transitory species.
In the past, Poland's landscape was dominated by forests that gave
shelter to animals and boasted their species composition. Today forests
cover only about 29 percent of the country's territory but they still hold
importance for all of their inhabitants as well as for the overall health of
the planet. The most extensive woodlands in Poland are in Carpathian and
Sudeten Mountains.

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Kije town is located in the southern part of the Świętokrzyskie
province in the area of Ponidzie landscape parks: Nadnidziański and
Szaniecki, and in Chmielnicko-Szydłowiecki and Włoszczowsko-
Jędrzejowski landscape protection areas. The commune is a part of the
ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union
called The European Ecological Network Nature 2000.
The river Nida flows through the commune. There is a Nature 2000 area stretching
along the river. It is a place designed to protect the most seriously threatened species of birds
and it is called Dolina Nidy (the Birds Directive), and look after habitats - Ostoja Nidziańska
and Ostoja Stawiany (the Habitats Directive). Unique flora and fauna can be found in this area
including about 30 species of birds protected in Europe such as a black stork, a white stork,
a heron, a corncrake, a lapwing and numerous species of reptiles and amphibians and some
valuable species of butterflies. There are also xerothermic grasslands, natural eutrophic body of
water, natural forms of gypsum karst and a herb of spring adonis.

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I. Plants endemic to Poland
Plants whose natural distribution is limited to a certain geographic area are endemic to this area.
1. Tatra larkspur / Delphinium oxysepalum/ Ostróżka tatrzańska
2. Polish larch / Larix polonica / Modrzew polski
The plant reaches a height of 50 – 100 cm and its roots are strong and
deeply ingrown in the soil. At the top of a stem flowers are gathered in a
groups that make a crown. The flowers are intensely azure or purple The
only place in Poland where it grows wild are Tatra Mountains.
It is a tree reaching the height up to 40 meters. Its bark is green-
brown at the beginning, with time it turns brown. The leaves are needle-like
2–4 centimeters long. They are flexible and give off a specific fresh smell.
They fall in the autumn. The cones are ovoid, 2–5 cm long. It occurs in the
south-east of Poland.

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3. Chrysanthemum zawadzki / Dendranthema zawadskii / Złocień zawadzkiego
4. Mountain avens, White dryas, White dryad / Dryas octopetala / Dębik ośmiopłatkowy
This plant is Chrysanthemum Zawadzki. It can be found only in the Pieniny
Mountains, Poland. It grows up to 60 cm. Its flowers are white or pink-purple. It
has a pleasant odor. This plant is under the rigorous protection in Poland. South
east of Poland
The epithet octopetala derives from Greek octo (eight) and petalon
(petal) and refers to the eight petals of the flower. It is a small prostrate
evergreen shrub forming large colonies.
In Poland it occurs only in high mountains. It grows in dry and sunny
areas where snow melts early. this plant flowers from June to July and it can
live even 50 years. It is a popular flower in rock gardens.