Astragalus corniculatus
Astragalus corniculatus M. Bieb.
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Semi-shrub with woody, branched rhizome. Stems 8–20 cm high, erect, appressed hairy. Stipules ovate, 2–3 mm long. Leaves 4–7 cm long, imparipinnate. Leaflets in 6–10 pairs, narrow linear, greyish appressed hairy. Racemes 2 cm long, peduncles almost as long as the leaves. Bracts ovate, 1 mm long. Flowers 5–10, 15–20 mm long, pink violet to white; calyx 8–12 mm long, teeth short, linear. Legume linear, curved slightly upwards, 20–30 mm long, with scattered appressed hairs. Fl. IV–VII, fr. VI–IX. Pollinated by insects. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. Occurs on stony slopes in steppe communities dominated by Stipa tirsa, Stipa capillata, and Hedysarum grandiflorum subsp. bulgaricum. Populations are with many individuals but strongly fragmented.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Danubian Plain (Svistov region – Hadzhidimitrovo, Sovata, Gorna Studena, Dragomirovo, Ovcha Mogila, Delyanovtsi villages, near Levski – Karamandol locality, Balgarene and Kozar Belene villages; Opanets village, Pleven region).
General distribution. Southern parts of Russia and Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, the Caucasus.
Threats. Ploughing of steppe communities, grazing, fires, competition by grass species; small area of distribution; strongly fragmented populations.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the national Biodiversity Act. The population in Opansko Bardo locality near Opanets village is within an area protected as a paleontological site. Some localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the numbers of individuals and areas of the populations, species ecology; threats. Collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Sadovo. Proclamation of the localities near Svistov and Levski as protected areas.
References. Pavlova 1988; Pavlova, Kozuharov 1994; Tzonev 2000, 2002.
Author: Rossen Tzonev
