Scientific name: ‘Sideritis discolor’
Common name: Salvia amarilla, chagorra
Family: ‘Lamiaceae’
Genus: ‘Sideritis’
Endemic to: Parque Rural de Doramas, Gran Canaria
Other locations: Los Tiles Nursery and the Viera & Clavijo Botanical Gardens
Description: Plant species considered in danger of extinction in the National Catalogue of Species under Threat, and in need of a recovery plan. It is a large woody bush of up to a metre and a half in height, which has flowers that are white or yellowy colour. It is endemic to Gran Canaria where the remaining populations are to be found between 600 and 700 metres above sea level, in the ravines of the Barranco Oscuro, Barranco de la Virgen and in the Barranco de Los Tiles within the Doramas County Park. It lives in openings in the green woods, especially in shady and humid dykes. The species is closely linked to the microclimatic conditions originating from the forest canopy and also the sea of fog that bathes the middle of the island. It flowers from April to July and its fruit appears from May until August. It is under direct threat from man due to its medicinal properties against coughs and colds and as stimulant for the circulation. Nevertheless, it is not the only threat, as the disappearance of green forests and the drop in the ground water level have all had negative impacts on the existence of habitats suitable for its survival. Populations have been maintained of the species in the Los Tiles de Moya Nursery and the Jardin Canario gardens since 1981.
