Mt Parnassus, with an altitude of 2457m, has been known in Greek myth as the mountain of Apollo and the Nymphs and, on its southern foothills, stood the Delphic Oracle. Its woods reach up to 1600-1700 m and consist mainly of the Greek fir (Abiescephalonica), while on its northern slopes some black pines (pinus nigra) may also be seen. Extended alpine tundra and cliffs occur on higher altitudes of Mt Parnassus. The NW part of Parnassus was designated a National Park in 1938, the oldest in the country together with that of Mt Olympus. Τhe mountain supports a remarkable range of flora with more than 1000 species and subspecies recorded inside the National Park. The endangered Greek Peony (Paeoniaparnassica), native to the fir tree forests of Mt Parnassus and its adjacent Mt Elikonas, is an interesting and impressive species, together with the Centaureamusarum, the Eryssimumparnassi, the Euphorbiaorphanidis, the Bupleurumcapillare, the bellflower Campanularupicula, the hawkweed Hieraciumgaudryi, and others. Mt Parnassus is an important environment for predatory birds and for alpine zone birds such as the rarely-sighted wall-creeper (Tichodromamuraria) and the Montifringillanivalis.