Cravo-Brabo (Erysimum caboverdeanum)

Small shrub, up to 60 cm or, more rarely, 1 m tall. Highly branched, with erect stems that contain numerous linear leaves up to 4 cm long. Flowers are pale purple; the fruit is a long thin siliqua or pod, up to 6 cm long. This endemic is relegated to the island of Fogo, where it appears from 1,500-2,400 m and thrives on the edges of the Caldera de Chã das Caldeiras (2,000 m), growing on rocks and lapilli or volcanic ash. The species is much used in traditional medicine and is classified as Endangered, due to its restricted distribution and the harvesting of specimens by the local population. The creation of Fogo Nature Park, however, provides legal protection for its habitat, thereby theoretically guaranteeing its conservation.