Madonie

The mountains' varied elevation, microclimates, exposure, and geology create distinct habitats which are home to diverse plant communities.

[1] Evergreen laurel forests grow in ravines on the northern slopes of the massif between 300 and 560 meters elevation, where the exposure and topography allow more year-round moisture.

The relatively shady, cool, and humid forest understory is home to many species of plants including Rhamnus lojaconoi, Ptilostemon greuteri, Woodwardia radicans, and Pteris vittata, and include several rare, endemic, and limited-range species.

[2] Within the park area, there are outcrops of rocks that have been dated over a 200-million-year period and represent all aspects of the geology of Sicily apart from present-day volcanic activity.

The area was famous for the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, where the Targa Florio race was held from 1906 to 1977.