Aurinia uechtritziana
Aurinia uechtritziana (Bornm.) Cullen & Dudley
Lepidotrichum uechtritzianum (Bornm.) Velen.1, 2, 4
Brassicaceae – Cabbage family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iv,v)]. BDA, BC.
Morphology and biology. Perennial plant. Stems 30–80 cm high, ascending or erect. Leaves alternate, linear, entire. Plants grey-pubescent, with dense stellate hairs. Inflorescence much branched, lax. Flowers small, sepals 2–2.5 mm, petals white, 4–5 mm long. Fruit a silicula. Fl. VII–IX, fr. VIII–XI. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds. Seeds not winged, and therefore, the species has a limited mobility.
Habitats and populations. Grows on stabilized coastal and inland dunes. The area of occurrence is less than 1200 km2, the area of occupancy less than 20 km2, and over the last 100 years the reduction of the population is possibly more than 50%. The density in places with a good population state reaches to 25 individuals/m2. Generative individuals usually prevail over the young vegetative individuals and is a sign of slow recruitment.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (on more spacious coastal sands south of Varna town and in the area of Pobiti Kamani phenomenon); up to 100 m alt.
General distribution. Western coast of the Black Sea (Bulgaria, Turkey).
Threats. Limited distribution and dispersal. Main threats are invasion by tourists and vast infrastructural activities. Over the past 100 years, the distribution area has been narrowed after destruction of the coastal localities in Varna – Zlatni Pyasatsi (Golden Sands) region and Burgas bay area. In the area of Pobiti Kamani nature phenomenon the populations strongly declined due to extensive afforestation.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the Biodiversity Act. Some localities are in protected areas (Pobiti Kamani Protected Sites, Dyuni Perla Nature Monument and others) as well as in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Urgent measures for saving the existing dune complexes; monitoring of the populations; storage of seeds in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Davidov 1905a, b; Asenov 1970; Stanev 1984; Meshinev et al. 1994; Filipova-Marinova & Petrova 1997; Petrova 1997.
Author: Antoaneta Petrova
