The Departments of Ecology & Systematics and Genetics & Biotechnology belong to the Faculty of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (abbreviated as University of Athens), the oldest institution of higher learning in Greece, founded in 1837. The knowledge of the diverse functions of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy, are the objectives of the Faculty.

The current project, entitled “Conservation of the vanishing Stachys virgata (Lamiaceae)” aims at providing a better understanding of the distribution, genetic diversity and threats that the endangered plant species Stachys virgata faces, and also intends at safeguarding most, if not all of its subpopulations through effective conservation actions. The project will be implemented in the south-east parts of Peloponnisos, where Stachys virgata exclusively grows. Peloponnisos (also known as the Peloponnese) is the southernmost part of Greek mainland, an area rich in diverse forms of endemic plant species, among which Stachys virgata is one of the rarest.

Stachys virgata Bory & Chaub. (Lamiaceae), a very local Greek endemic plant, was described from Peloponnisos in the first half of the nineteenth century by Bory de Saint-Vincent & Chaubard (1832-1833, but publication apparently appeared in 1835-1836). Following its description the species was not seen for over 150 years and had to be considered as Ex (Extinct) until 2005, when very few plants were found by Th. Constantinidis and E. Kalpoutzakis.

Part of the project results appear in Constantinidis et al. (2015).

References:

Bory de Saint-Vincent JBGM, Chaubard LA. 1832-1833 (published 1835-1836). Expédition scientifique de Morée 3(2). Paris: F.G. Levrault.

Constantinidis Th., Kalpoutzakis E., Kougioumoutzis K. 2015. The rediscovery of Stachys virgata (Lamiaceae), a rare endemic of Peloponnisos, Greece: taxonomy, distribution, karyology and conservation. - Phytotaxa 218(3): 241-252.