In a bid to combat extinction, Saudi Arabia has recently rediscovered Globularia alypum, a critically endangered blue-flowered shrub native to Mediterranean regions.

Environmental consultant Oubaid Alouni attributes its endangerment to overgrazing, land degradation, and neglect.

Historically found in North Africa, southern Europe, and Southwest Asia, the shrub is valued for its medicinal properties and traditional use as an anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic treatment.

Conservation efforts are underway to rehabilitate degraded lands, preserve seeds, and raise public awareness about the plant's ecological and medicinal value.