Allium angulosum
Allium angulosum L.
Liliaceae – Lily family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR A1c; B1ab(i,ii,iii)+2ab(i)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial. Bulbs cylindrical-conical, clustered on a short rhizome. Stem 20–60 cm high, angular, slender. Leaves 5–6, linear, 2–4 mm wide, clustered at stem base, canaliculate above, sharply keeled beneath in a living state. Spathe shortly acuminate, shorter than the inflorescence, persistent. Umbel dense, hemispherical, many-flowered. Perianth broadly campanulate, with pink violet segments, with obscure veins. Capsule 1.5 times shorter than perianth. Fl. VII–IX, fr. IX–X. Pollinated by insects. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in wet meadows along the Danube. Survives in extended floodings, due to which it has a late vegetation period. Populations are with many individuals on small areas. The locality in Belene island consists of 1500–2000 individuals, but only in small, isolated meadows, on sandy alluvial soils among shrubs of Amorpha fruticosa.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Danubian Plain (only along the Danube, in Vidin town – Lovnia park and Belene island – Persina locality); up to 150 m alt.
General distribution. C, S and E Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Siberia.
Threats. Draining of the marshes along the Danube and their transformation into arable land; change in the water regime of the Danube; adaptation of the species to a specific and very rare habitat in Bulgaria – large flooded meadows along rivers.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biological Diversity Act. The population on Belene island is within Persina Nature Park. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Detailed study of the area and number of individuals of the populations. Control of the invasive species Amorpha fruticosa in Belene island. Proclamation of the locality near Vidin as protected area. Protection of the species by the Biodiversity Act. Collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Sadovo.
References. Jordanov 1936; Valev & Assenov 1964; Petrova 1984.
Author: Rossen Tzonev
