Anthemis gaudium-solis
Anthemis gaudium-solis Velen.
Anthemis bulgarica Thin
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i)]. BDA. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous perennial, with a branched rhizome. Stems 40–90 cm, simple or ± corymbosely branched in the upper half. Leaves oblanceolate or obovate, pinnatipartite, with 3–7 pairs of segments, sessile. Capitula 40–50 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts without a dark margin. Ligules deep yellow to orange yellow. Disc up to 17–20 mm in diameter. Achenes brown, c. 2 mm long, with c. 0.8 mm entire hyaline brownish corona (up to 1/4 as long as body of achene). Fl. VI−VII, fr. VIII−IX. Insect and wind pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means (rhizome fragmentation).
Habitats and populations. Grows in dry grassy and rocky places and scrublands in open oak forests. So far 12 localities recorded. Populations are isolated from each other, comprising solitary individuals or small groups of plants.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rila Mts (Dupnitsa town, Rila Monastery), Rhodopi Mts (central – Bachkovo Monastery, Yugovo; eastern – Balak Dere, Chakalarovo village, Ivailovgrad), Thracian Lowland (Haskovo, Haskovski baths, Harmanli, Stara Zagora).
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. The localities are under high anthropogenic pressure which has negative consequences for the population. Limited distribution and small population sizes.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the Biodiversity Act. Part of the population is found in Rilomanastirska Gora Nature Park. Some localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study on the species’ reproductive biology, the factors affecting population size, and based on these results adaptation of the conservation measures; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Fernandes 1976; Thin 1983; Kuzmanov 1984a, b.
Author: Lyuba Evstatieva
