First Documentation of the Lilium candidum L in Libya and Its Implications for Mediterranean Flora

Abstract

Lilium candidum L. (Liliaceae), is a culturally and biologically significant Mediterranean geophyte whose natural distribution has long been debated due to millennia of cultivation and subsequent naturalization. While native populations are well documented in the eastern Mediterranean, no species of Lilium has previously been confirmed from Libya, leaving a notable gap in the southern Mediterranean range of the genus. This study reports the first scientifically validated record of L. candidum from Libya, discovered in the Green Mountain (Jabal al-Akhdar) region at Ras Al-Hilal. Field observations were initially made in 2019, followed by detailed morphological and taxonomic investigations in 2025. The population occurs on north facing calcareous slopes within a Mediterranean montane habitat, consistent with the known ecological preferences of the species, and in proximity to an archaeological site dated to the sixth century BCE. Morphological analyses of vegetative and floral traits including bulb structure, stem height, leaf arrangement, flower size, tepal dimensions, and stamen morphology show complete agreement with authoritative descriptions of L. candidum from the Mediterranean Basin. Comparative assessment using standard floras and herbarium references confirms the taxonomic identity of the Libyan population. This finding extends the documented southern limit of Lilium, represents a significant addition to the Libyan flora, and raises biogeographic questions regarding relictual persistence versus ancient or recent human mediated dispersal. The record underscores the importance of continued botanical exploration in North Africa and highlights the need for further ecological and molecular studies to clarify the origin and conservation status of this population.