Sideritis elica, from the Rhodope Mountains is a new plant species, which was discovered and described by Associate Prof. Ina Aneva and Senior Assistant Professor Georgi Bonchev of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as well as by Prof. Petar Zhelev of the University of Forestry in Sofia.

Sideritis elica differs from the famous Sideritis scardica. This has been confirmed not only morphologically, but also by molecular and genetic analyses.

Sideritis elica grows in the nature reserve Chervenata Stena in the Rhodopes. Measures to protect the species in nature are necessary. The discovery of a new plant species is a relatively rare event in Bulgaria. The species was named in honor of the mother of Prof. Ina Aneva - Elka, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences said.