Achillea chrysocoma
Achillea chrysocoma Friv.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbaceous plant with branched subterranean rhizome. Stems up to 40 cm high, erect, densely covered with silky hairs. Leaves also covered with dense silky hairs, double pinnatisect, secondary lobes filiform. Inflorescence compound, corymbose, with many capitula. Ligules 5, up to 2.5 mm long, yellow. Fruit achene. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively. Fl. VII–VIII, fr. VIII–X.
Habitats and populations. Dry, stony, grassy places in the subalpine belt, above 1900 m alt. Populations are strongly fragmented.
Distribution in Bulgaria. West Frontier Mts (Mt Osogovo, Mali Ruen peak, Choveka peak), Pirin Mts (S. – Orelyak peak), Rila Mts (Droushlyavitsa ridge), Mt Slavyanka (Gotsev Vruh peak).
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Bulgaria, R Macedonia, Greece).
Threats. Limited distribution, trampling and pollution of the habitats in the known localities due to stock grazing and tourism; also the building of borderline facilities in the past in the locality of Mt Osogovo.
Conservation measures taken. Some of the localities are within protected areas: Rila National Park, Alibotush Strict Nature Reserve and in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitats; inclusion in the list of protected plants and monitoring of the populations; preservation in ex situ collections.
References. Assenov 1961; Nedelcheva 1998.
Authors: Boris Assyov, Vladimir Vladimirov
