Achillea leptophylla
Achillea leptophylla M. Bieb.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbaceous plant. Stems up to 30 cm high, erect, with silky hairs. Leaves also covered with silky hairs, double pinnatisect, secondary lobes lanceolate to linear. Inflorescence compound, corymbose, with many capitula. Ligulate flowers 5, up to 1.5 mm long, yellow. Fruit achene. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively. Fl. V–X, fr. VII–XI.
Habitats and populations. Dry stony calcareous places on shallow soils, at 100–200 m alt. Populations consist of low number of individuals, with few plants and low density.
Distribution in Bulgaria. NE Bulgaria (Provadia, Manastir, Venchan, Madara villages). Some of the localities (Manastir and Venchan villages) have not been confirmed in the last years.
General distribution. SE Europe, Caucasus, C Asia.
Threats. Limited distribution, trampling and littering of the localities.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the national Biodiversity Act.
Conservation measures needed. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitats and monitoring of the populations. Preservation in ex situ collections.
References. Kuzmanov 1984; Nedelcheva 1998.
Authors: Boris Assyov, Cvetomir M. Denchev
