Flora of Mt Taygetos
Flora of Mt Taygetos
Identify plants species
Text: A. Kaltsis
Photos: T. Adamakopoulos
Due to its high altitude, its size and its rather isolated position, Taygetos is among the top mountainous areas of Greece in terms of floristic value and diversity.
The fragmentary botanical surveys give a number of more than 800 species and subspecies for Mt Taygetos, but judging from the corresponding works for other Peloponnese mountains it is estimated that the mountain should host more than 1200 species. Of the plant species collected from Taygetos, more than 100 are endemic to Greece, while about 20 are considered to be narrow endemic of the mountain range. This category includes the wild cranesbill Geranium kikianum from the Lagada gorge, Potentilla greuteriana from Xerovouni, the rare bellflower Campanula papillosa, the composite Jurinea taygetea, the dwarf Aethionema carlsbergii, the milkvetch Astragalus taygeteus, the catchfly Silene taygetea, the violet Viola sfikasiana, the chasmophytic shrublet Lithodora zahnii, etc.
The classical ascent to Profitis Ilias summit is an ideal option for hikers to admire the unique flora of Mt Taygetos. Enjoy a detailed description of a botanical hike to the summit of Mt Taygetos.
Several are the endemic plants of the Peloponnese occurring in Taygetos, which are in general difficult to spot and rare, such as the dwarf Verbascum acaule, the bell flowers Campanula stenosiphon and Campanula asperuloides, the chasmophyte Clinopodium taygeteum, the umbelifer Bubon arachnoideum and others.
topoguide Greece
Flora
of Mt Τaygetos area
Taygetos topoguide is available for Android devices as an in-app-purchase via the global app topoguide Greece. Taygetos topoguide is a member of the Peloponnese group.
Taygetos topoguide is also available as an in-app-purchase for iOS & iPad devices via the global hiking app Topoguide Greece app. There again, Taygetos topoguide is a member of the Peloponnese group.
topoguide Greece offers active guidance along the trail, as well as an extented guidebook on the geography, the nature and the history of the area.