BRUSHWOOD
On
the highest summits of Mt Parnitha there is a vestigial vegetation
zone, that consists of brushwood. The timberline in these areas
is not natural, but has resulted from the reduction of the firforest
due to either grazing in earlier years or particular climatic
conditions prevailing during the past decades.
The
area covered by brushwood on the summits is rather small and
lies 5 – 10m above the firforest. The summits hosting this type
of vegetation are Kyra, Aeras, Naytiko and Xerobouni, while
in several places, other plant species also occur.
Brushwood
consists of herbs and several shrubs, such as: milk-vetch Astragalus
angustifolius (cushion-like shrub), Attica's herbal
tea (Sideritis
raeseri ssp.
attica), woodruffs (Asperula
pulvinaris και Asperula rigidula), pinks and
mouse-ears (Dianthus
serratifolius ssp.
serratifolius, Cerastium
candidissimum), wild yellow tulips (Tulipa
sylvestris), stonecrops (Sedum
album, Sedum urvillei) etc. Most of these species are
endemic or rare and are being threatened by telecommunication
and military facilities, that have been established at the whole
mountain's ridge, inducing the diminution of the indigenous
vegetation's elements.
It
must also be noted that one very important species of Parnitha's
brushwood is the herbal tea of Attica, which grows only at the
prefecture of Sterea Ellas and nowhere else! However, its populations
on the mountain are facing serious danger from overcollecting
and are subject to extinction. Collection of plants is prohibited
at the core of the National Park of Parnitha. Nature deserves
to be treated with respect and responsibility from its visitors.
