Rare Plant, Once Thought Extinct, Thrives on Acropolis Slopes

08:58 5/5/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

A tiny, pink-flowered plant once believed extinct has been rediscovered on the rocky slopes of the Acropolis in Athens, the same hill that hosts the Parthenon, one of Western civilization’s most iconic landmarks.

The Micromeria acropolitana, known in Greek

as "Mikromeria tis Akropolis," is an extremely rare and endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. First documented in 1906 by two French botanists and formally described in 1908 by Austrian scientist Eugen von Halácsy, the plant vanished from the scientific record for more than a century.

It was rediscovered in 2006 by Greek biologist Grigoris Tsounis and his son Lambros while they were walking near the monument.

At the time, Mr. Tsounis had been researching the flora of the area for his book Around the Acropolis. “As soon as I saw it from afar, I said, ‘That’s a Micromeria’—because of its small, divided leaves. But which one exactly?” he recalled.

Three years later, in 2009, Danish biologist Dr. Kit Tan, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, confirmed the identity of the plant as Micromeria acropolitana, resolving a long-standing botanical mystery.

The plant is a perennial, standing just 5 to 30 centimeters tall, and blooms from May through June with delicate pink flowers.

It grows in rocky crevices with minimal soil, primarily on east-facing slopes, making its survival even more notable in the shadow of one of the world’s most visited ancient sites.

Despite the global attention surrounding the Acropolis, the precise location of the plant is kept secret to protect it from foot traffic, tourism, and routine site maintenance.

While it can be found in several areas around the hill, its most stable population thrives undisturbed in an undisclosed part of the site.

Now protected under Greek law, the Micromeria acropolitana has become a symbol of the country’s fragile biodiversity and a reminder that even in the heart of a bustling capital, nature can still hold significant secrets.

By Sofia Paftounou

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