de la serra de mariola - Parques Naturales - Generalitat Valenciana

Plant life
Mariola, with its over 1400 vascular plants, is
doubtlessly a marvellous example of the biodiversity
of species and settings. It is famous for the
ones with aromatic and medicinal properties:
Mariola sage, camomile, thyme, cat’s tail, hypericum,
rock tea,... and for other ethno-botanical
uses that have been made of them since ancient
times; for preparing drinks, as a culinary condiment,
as a remedy for all kinds of complaints,
preparing perfumes, and others.
In Mariola one can find anything from areas
degraded by fires to good examples of potential
climacic vegetation: the holm oak grove, and in
shady areas, mixed Mediterranean woods,
accompanied by kermes oaks, Mediterranean
mezereon, junipers, evergreen buckthorn, etc..
Most of the range is however covered with pine
trees and thickets with briar, heather, rockrose…
and there are also some good examples of edaphic
vegetation in the Vinalopó area, and major plant
communities associated with springs (such as that
of Molí Mató).
The “Teixera d’Agres” yew tree grove is a major
feature, still containing some extraordinary specimens
of this remarkable magic tree.
Mariola sage
(Salvia blancoana subsp. mariolensis)
Núria Lara Bernàcer