As the interest in new, natural, sustainable products arises in many fields, wild plants are reconsidered as providers of traditional or innovative applications. The notion of ecosystem services (ES) provides a frame to evaluate their benefits, but is still scarcely applied to endemic floras. The present study reviews the available literature on the ES provided by the 494 taxa endemic to Greece that are present in Peloponnese. Six main categories are isolated: medical, aromatic, folk medicine, antimicrobial, environmental and craftsmanship interests. The literature documents such ES for 24.7% of the endemic taxa, with Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Boraginaceae as the families with the highest numbers of documented taxa. Spatial hotspots with a high density in taxa providing ES are mapped, while gaps of knowledge on the ES of endemic taxa are highlighted. For the first time, to our knowledge, taxonomic and phylogenetic bounds between taxa are exploited as a base to explore potential properties for endemic taxa. The basis for the development of predictive tools utilizing literature review datasets is set. Final outcomes also provide robust scientific evidence to support decision and policy making for the sustainable use and management of rural areas. The development of cultivation areas for threatened taxa of interest is suggested as a potent conservation measure, by selecting fields according to habitat suitability models.

A forthcoming taxonomic treatment of the genus Verbascum in Greece in the frame of The Flora of Greece Project necessitates the description of one species and two subspecies as new to science, the upgrading to subspecies rank of two taxa formerly recognized as varieties, as well as the formation of two new combinations. Verbascum bolbes from the regional unit Thessaloniki is here described as a new species, whereas V. lychnitis subsp. goulimyi and V. undulatum subsp. suffruticosum from the regional units Serres and Corinthia, respectively, are new subspecies. Furthermore, V. longifolium subsp. samaritanii and V. longifolium subsp. pannosum represent new statuses, whereas V. glandulosum subsp. doiranense and V. macrurum subsp. pannosiforme are the new combinations. Importantly, we also show that the name V. pycnostachyum is misapplied in the East Aegean region as Greek subpopulations do not belong to this species but to the morphologically allied V. davisianum described from Anatolia. We additionally perform the lectotypification of the names V. davisianum and V. glandulosum subsp. doiranense.

Hypericum intricatum, discovered in an ophiolitic area near the city of Domokos, Central Greece, is here described and illustrated as a species new to science. It belongs to section Olympia, as indicated by nuclear ribosomal ITS phylogeny, congruent with several but not all key morphological characters of this taxon. The sole known population of the new species is critically small and restricted to a floristically noteworthy spot accompanied by other rare and threatened serpentine-specialist species.

Endemic plant taxa, which are often understudied due to their restricted populations and limited distribution, are a key focus in Greece, which is a major hotspot for plant diversity and endemism within the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot region. This work contributes to national efforts to enhance understanding of Greek endemic diversity by: (a) summarizing existing knowledge on karyology, morphology, ecology, and plant uses through a comprehensive literature review, and (b) providing a complete data bank of selected functional traits for the 1,636 understudied endemic taxa of the Greek flora. This dataset is the first comprehensive compilation of its kind for Greek endemic flora. It includes values for eight functional traits, two ecological characteristics, and one genetic characteristic for all 1,636 endemic taxa, alongside data on the presence or absence of ecosystem services across six categories. The dataset enables further study of Greek endemic flora at various scales, offering insights into the characteristics of these habitat-specialized, unique taxa. It will be used by our team to analyze distribution patterns and relationships between functional traits and habitats, particularly in the context of climate change.