Flora

According to existing data, Velebit is home to 1854 registered plant species, of which 79 are endemic. Such a great many endemic species is why Velebit is often called "the centre of endemism" of this part of Europe .

The essential habitats for these endemic plant species are the rocks and "gulles" (western Velebit slope), caves, rivers (Krupa and Zrmanja), as well as alpine meadows and grasslands. Among the Velebit endemics is the Velebit degenia (Degenia velebitica), the Croatian sibbirhaea (Sibiraea altaiensis ssp. Croatica), the Velebit bellflower (Campanula velebitica), the Window bellflower (Campanula fenestrellata), Kitajbel's primrose (Primula kitaibeliana), the Velebit dianthus (Dianthus velebiticus)…  The rocky grounds and cliffs of Velebit are also home to peculiar and exquisite plant species – roseroot (Rhodiola rosea), Croatian barberry (Berberis croatica), twin-flowered violet (Viola biflora), creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga rotundifolia), mountain avens (Dryas octopetala), edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), and others.   

Although forest habitats predominate on Velebit, the alpine meadows and grasslands are very important to the conservation of its overall biodiversity. The most widespread forest association in the mountain-vegetation belt, the beech forest with large red dead nettle (Lamio orvalae-Fagetum), inhabits altitudes below 900 meters.  At altitudes above 800 m, dwell the Dinaric beech and fir forests (Omphalodo-Fagetum). The coastal beech forest with autumn moor grass (Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum) prevails on the rocky plateaus above 1000 m. Subalpine forests of beech and hollyfern (Polystycho lonchitis-fagetum) inhabit areas from 1100 to 1650 m above sea level that are typically covered in snow, have a shore vegetation period, and are exposed to strong winds. The trees of these forests are bent at their lower section under the weight of the enduring snow.  The main features of the top-most landscape are the bare, karst formations that alternate with forest valleys and dry grassland areas.

Velebit Degenia

- Endemic jewel of Velebit and Croatian flora - Grows mainly in the screes and crevices of Velebit's southeastern slopes - Blooms in May and June

Croatian Sand Rock-Cress (Arabis croatia)

- An endemic of the northwest Dinarides and Velebit - Grows in the shady crevices of relatively humid rock and calcareous blocks of the   beech forest (500 – 1700 m) - Blooms in May and June

Window Bellflower (Campanula fenestrellata)

A Velebit endemic - Grows mainly in semi-shade, on the calcareous blocks and caves in beech forests, but also in the crevices of southern-exposed arid cliffs, and in lower valleys (600 – 1300 m) - Blooms in July and August

Croatian Grassy Bell (Edraianthus graminofolius var. croaticus)

- A Velebit endemic, prevalent on the rocky grasslands and terraces overgrown with sesleria, in rock crevices, as well as in higher mountain areas also reaching to the top-most areas (1100 – 1758 m) - Blooms from June to August

Croatian Sibbirhaea (Sibiraea croatica)

- A Croatian endemic - A strictly protected plant that grows on the craggy slopes in crevices and among the massive rock, prevalently on the western slopes of Velebit at altitudes from 950 to 1000 m, and exceptionally up to 800, and 1550 m - Blooms in June and early July