At first glance mount Parnon, with its “naked” tops dominating the landscape, seems “fruitless” and “poor”. In reality, however, the region hides a priceless flora. The geological history, the odd weather conditions and the intense dismemberment of many peaks, ravines, streams, etc., have created an impressive variety of ecological conditions, ideal for the development of many different plants.
In Parnon there is not yet a complete and systematic record of the plants, which would require several years of work. So far, the evidence gathered at the universities of Patras and Copenhagen, has formed a list with more than900-1.000 species and subspecies of plants.
Among the plants of Parnon there are many common species, but also many rare. Overall, they have been recorded and recognized until now 113 rare plants, some of which are unique in Europe, as local endemic plants of Parnon and some rare Asian species. Others are still endemic only in southern Peloponnese and Greece in general.
Endemic plants of southern Peloponnese that exist in Parnon
Greece is a country in Europe that is famous for its endemic plants. Some of these species or subspecies occur only in certain regions of Greece, while others are more wide spread. Mount Parnon displays rare plants for our country or Asian species which no other European country has.
In Parnon there have been recorded so far 69 species and subspecies that are endemic to the Peloponnese with little or endemic spread throughout Greece. There have been recorded 11 rare species and subspecies, with the most important Juniperus drupaceae and many others.
16 locally endemic plants of Parnon
As locally endemic plants of Parnon are characterized these plants that do not exist in any other part of the world except in mount Parnon. There have been recorde so far the following endemic species:
Viola parnonia
Asperula elonea
Asperula malevonensis
Astragalus agraniotii
Draba strasseri
Centaurea laconica
Centaurea athoa ssp. parnonia
Cyclamen repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum var. vividum
Matricaria rosella
Minuartia wettsteinii ssp. parnonia
Nepeta orphanidea
Petrorhagia grandiflora
Potentilla arcadiensis
Silene laconica
Stachys chrysantha
