Flora of Eastern Pelion

European beech (Fagus sylvatica) prevails on the mountain zone, forming, depending on site quality and the history of human intervention, woods with different forms in height, vitality and structure. Within the beech zone, stands of aspen (Populus tremula) and goat willow (Salix caprea) appear.

The flora of Mt Pelion was never systematically studied. From a synthesis of the so far known fragmetary records, 620 plant species and subspecies have been recorded. From these, 12 are pteridophytes (ferns), 5 are gymnosperms (conifers) and the remaining 603 are angiosperms (521 dicots and 82 monocots). Regarding endemics, Pelion hosts on local endemic supspecies, Soldanella chrysosticta susbp. pelia, a plant hard to see and rare, wth beautiful purple flowers, growing in permanently wet places in shady beech forests. Furthermore, Pelion hosts 23 Greek endemics, 26 Balkan sub-endemics, namely species and subspecies appearing only in the Balkans and one more neighboring area.

Photos and descriptions for plant species of Eastern Pelion are included in the hiking application Eastern Pelion topoguide, available for both Android and iOS (iPhone and iPad) devices.
The application guides the user to locate the plant typical biotope.