Astragalus wilmottianus
Astragalus wilmottianus Stoj.
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial tufted plant. Stems shortened, branched. Leaves imparipinnate with 4–6 pairs of hispid leaflets. Flowers in few-flowered compact racemes, subsessile. Calyx up to 1 cm long. Petals pink or rarely white, 15–30 mm long. Fruit ovate, inflated legume. Reproduction by seeds. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI–VII.
Habitats and populations. Open grasslands and shrub communities in dry stony calcareous places on shallow soils, between 600–900 m alt. Populations are of low number of individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Sofia region (Ponor village), Znepole region (Zemenska Mt, Golo Burdo Mt, Chepun Mt, Slivnitsa district). Some of the localities (in Slivnitsa district and Golo Burdo) have not been confirmed during the last years.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Serbia, R Macedonia). The main part of the population of the species is within the Bulgarian territory.
Threats. The limited distribution of the species, trampling and littering of the habitats in the known localities, afforestation and fires.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Survey of the status of the populations in the unconfirmed localities. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitat and of the known localities and monitoring of the populations. Designation of the location in Chepun Mt as protected area.
References. Stojanoff & Stefanoff 1921; Stojanov 1926; Ganchev 1963; Bondev & Kuzmanov 1963; Stanev 1984.
Authors: Boris Assyov, Cvetomir M. Denchev
