Polygala helenae is classified as
Endangered under
IUCN Red List criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii). The species was previously assessed as Vulnerable in the first edition of the
Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece, but was later reclassified as
Critically Endangered in 2005. With the discovery of additional sites expanding its known range, the threat level was adjusted to Endangered. The plant has a very restricted range, with an
area of occupancy of approximately 12 km2 across three known locations. Population surveys conducted in 2023 documented between 116 and 200 individuals in the Myrtidia area, more than 200 individuals in the Kalamos area, and a declining population of fewer than 50 individuals in the Vroulea area (down from 86 counted in 2022).
Threats Several factors threaten the continued survival of
P. helenae. Potential agricultural expansion represents a significant concern; while its habitat is no longer used for farming, there is a risk that the land could be reclaimed for agricultural purposes, which would likely eliminate the species from affected areas. Increased
tourism development on Kythira also poses a considerable threat to the plant's habitat through land-use changes and disturbance. Infrastructure development further endangers the species, particularly in the Vroulea area where the plant grows on an unpaved road that is rumoured to be widened and paved with cement in the future.
Wildfire risk constitutes another major threat; some locations where it grows have not experienced wildfires for over a century, potentially increasing the risk of severe fires. Researchers have also noted significant habitat degradation in certain areas, with dried vegetation and weakened shoots of
Polygala struggling to survive in increasingly adverse conditions.
Conservation efforts Polygala helenae is included in Greek national legislation (Presidential Decree 67/1981), and is listed among the Top 50 Mediterranean island plants on the brink of extinction. Despite this formal recognition, few concrete conservation measures have been implemented to date. Initial
ex-situ conservation attempts, including seed cultivation and
transplantation to the Botanic Garden of the
University of Patras, have been unsuccessful. More recently, conservation scientists collected 600 mature and immature seeds for scientific research and long-term storage in seed banks, including the
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the
Millennium Seed Bank at
Kew Gardens. Current conservation recommendations focus on protection and management of areas where the species occurs, continued population monitoring, further research on the plant's ecology and threats,
habitat restoration, education of landowners, raising public awareness about the species' significance, and development of a comprehensive recovery plan. Experts agree that on-site protection represents the most promising approach for ensuring the species' survival. One hopeful sign for the species' persistence is the observation of
seed dispersal by ants, a process known as
myrmecochory, facilitated by the well-developed seed
elaiosomes characteristic of
Polygala species. ==Taxonomy==