despite its small geographic scale, is characterized by a large topographic diversification concerning climate and soil morphology. As a result of these conditions, Cyprus has a large and unique flora of 1910 taxa, with a high (7.3%) percentage of endemism. This work is at a preliminary stage and is a part of a joint project between Cyprus and Greece funded by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundations. The aim is to study the potential of six endemic species of the Cyprus flora (Arabis purpurea, Centaurea akamantis, Onosma fruticasa, Origanum cordifolium, Ptilostemon chamaepeuce and Euphorbia veneris), for use in sustainable commercial floriculture and at the same time, the project aims at the conservation of these species since all of them are endemic and two of them Centaurea akamantis and Origanum cordifolium are strictly protected by the Bern Convention. Tests on seed germination of these species at different temperatures, showed that 81% of the seeds of Arabis purpurea, germinated at 20C between the 32 and the 40 day and 72 76% of Ptilostemon chamaepeuce var.cypria, between 10 and 16 days. A high percentage of Origanum cordifolium (82%), germinated at the temperature of 10C and 79% at 15C, in both cases after 6 days. For Centaurea akamantis, the percentage of seed germination was lower and reached 70% in 14 days at 15C and 55% in 25 days at 20C. Best results for Euphorbia veneris propagated by tissue culture, were observed when stem nodes without leaves were used as explants. It is shown that 0,5 mg.l ΒΑP in Euphorbia veneris led to satisfactory bud differentiation and shoot proliferation. INTRODUCTION is the third largest island in the Mediterranean sea. It is situated between 3434 3542 N and 3216 3434 E, covering an area of 9251 km. Its geographical location places it between three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. It has an extremely irregular outline, great variation in temperature and rainfall and never had a Glacial epoch. So a rich native, naturalized and cultivated flora has developed. Extensive plains, mountain masses, wetlands, coasts, sand dunes, gorges and cliffs provide a home for many indigenous and endemic species. The vegetation of Cyprus consists of typical Mediterranean types, coniferous forest, maquis, garigue and batha vegetation (Meikle, 1977), while more localized communities occur around salt marshes, sand dunes, stone walls, and mountain streams (Della, 1987, 1995). On arable land, the cultivated species predominate, many of which have been naturalized; others, however, have not been naturalized but can be utilized for aesthetic purposes. On the other hand, hundreds of ornamental species, introduced at varying times, have been planted in the inhabited areas; many of these have been naturalized and occur as adventives (Tsintides, 1995; Tsintides et al., 2002). The introduction of new plants in floriculture is a new trend in countries where horticultural research is well developed. For this reason, native plants are sought and selected for their desirable characteristics (Maloupa et al., 1999; Shillo, 1999). Genetic 111 Proc. V IS on New Flor. Crops Eds.: A.F.C. Tombolato and G.M. Dias-Tagliacozzo Acta Hort. 683, ISHS 2005 improvement and hybridization of native plants produces attractive, vigorous and disease resistant plants, which are then introduced into commercial floriculture (Littlejohn et al., 1999). The introduction of new plants in the floricultural market has been practiced for some time now in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States, where consumers are attracted by new products, thus increasing the market trade. In Greece, recently research has been conducted in Research Centers and Universities where native and endemic species have been tested (Vlahos, 1996, Maloupa et al., 1999, Papaphotiou et al., 2000). References to the Cyprus flora, and in particular to plants of economic importance, go back as far as Homer (Holmboe, 1914). Plants from Cyprus were mentioned in the work of ancient authors such as Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Plinius and others. At the end of the 18 century scientific work was published by many European botanists as a result of scientific explorations of the island. The most complete recent study is the of Cyprus, by R.D.Meikle of the Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K. The study was undertaken by the Kew Herbarium with the assistance and support of the Cyprus Government and in particular the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Flora was published in two volumes (Meikle, 1977; 1985). However, research on the evaluation of endemic species for the potential use in commercial floriculture is in very early stages. The aim of this project (2003-2005), is to study the six selected species under three environments: Greenhouse, Screen house and in the open field and by application of different irrigation regimes, fertilization, application of growth regulators, cultivation techniques (i.e. pruning, pinching etc) according to the species, to transform them into flowering pot plants, or cut flowers and use them in commercial Floriculture. MATERIAL AND METHODS All of the selected species are endemic of Cyprus and two of them (Centaurea akamantis and Origanum cordifolium) are strictly protected by Bern Convention. Description of the Species Arabis purpurea (Cruciferae) Purple Rock-Cress, is a sub shrub or perennial herb up to 30cm high with stems and leaves with dense stellate hairs. Leaves are alternate, simple with colour silvery to glaucous-green. Flowers are hermaphrodete and inflorescences at first densely corymbose, lengthening gradually into a raceme. Petals are pink, purple or rarely white. Flowering from March to April. Locally very common endemic, occurs in crevices of igneous and calcareous rocks at Troodos mountain range between 400-1800 m altitude. Centaurea akamantis (Compositae) Akamas Centaury, is a sub shrub with hanging or suberect shoots up to 60 cm long, densely white tomentose. Leaves are alternate, simple, variable, lobed, pinnatisect or bipinnatisect; lobes are linear with 1-5 mm wide, grayish-green, densely tomentose. Flowers (florets) are small, arranged in solitary, terminal capitula (florets purple-mauve, ray-florets ligulate, disk-florets tubular). A very rare endemic, confined to the Akamas peninsula (50-100 m alt.), flowering from May to November Onosma fruticasa (Boraginaceae) Cyprus Golden-Drop, is a much-branched, evergreen shrub, 0.2-0.8 m high, with hairy shoots, which become rather spinose when dried. Leaves are alternate, simple, entire, oblong, 7-20 x 2-4 mm, grey-green, with a mixed indumentum of short hairs and long bristles and with revolute margins. Flowers are solitary or 2-3 together, nodding downwards (calyx campanulate, hairy, corolla cylindrical), golden yellow turning into brown-orange with age. Found in areas with garigue vegetation (0-900 m alt.) and flowering from March to May. Origanum cordifolium (Labiatae) Cordate-leaved Origan, is an aromatic, muchbranched sub shrub or shrub up to 60 cm high. Young shoots are tetragonal, often purple. Leaves are simple, opposite, sessile, rather regularly spaced; Spikes on branched