Evangelia Daskalakou

Vitex agnus-castus (vitex or chastetree) is a deciduous shrub or a small tree (1-4 m), having a layer of down on its square shaped branches and carrying opposite, composite and palmate leaves. Vitex is blooming from July to September and its flowers grow in distinct inflorescences, in shades of red, blue and rarely of white colour. The fruit is a small, aromatic globular drupe, which contains 3-4 seeds.

Juniperus drupacea (Syrian juniper) is a mountainous, small or medium-sized tree (12-20 m), endemic for the eastern Mediterranean area (Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey). Unique natural populations for Europe are found only in Mt Parnonas and Mt Taygetos (SE Peloponnese), in limestone substrates and altitude 300-1,500 m. It forms pure or mixed forests with J. oxycedrus L., Abies cephalonica Loudon or Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold subsp. nigra.

The strawberry tree is an evergreen shrub (height 1.5-3 m), common in the Mediterranean Basin found in moist, wind-protected areas, in light and fertile soils, in forest edges and in limestone areas. The bark is rough, dull brown and exfoliating. Leaves are oval or lanceolate, bare, shiny and dark green, with short petiole and jagged edges. The flowers are white or pink shaded, bell shaped, in dense inflorescences. The fruit is spherical, fleshy and edible berry (diameter 1.5-2.0 cm), originally yellow-green and dark red when ripe, with a rough and granular surface.

Endemic Greek tree extending from Kefalonia to Evvoia, the Peloponnese and Sterea Ellas (northern to Olympos mountain and Athos, it forms a hybrid with Α. alba Miller, A. borisii-regis Mattf).It occurs in pure or mixed stands (with Pinus nigra), at altitudes (600)900-1800(1900) m, at montane or semi-montane slopes, on deep, fertile soil, onflysch and limestone. Tree height 15-30 m, monoecious, masting every (2) 3-4 years. The fruits are erect, cylindrical cones that contain up to 300 seeds. Flowering occurs May-June and seed dispersal September-October.