Caragana frutex
Caragana frutex (L.) C. Koch subsp. mollis (M. Bieb.) Kuzmanov
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iv); C2a(ii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Shrub, up to 1.5(3) m high; bark dark green, smooth. Leaves paripinnate, with two pairs of leaflets, 5–25 mm long, 2–15 mm wide, obovate, cuneate at base, rounded at apex, darker above, lighter below. Flowers axillary, single, rarely 2–3 in a bunch. Corolla 15–25 mm long, bright yellow, glabrous. Legume 2.5–4 cm long, 3–4 mm wide, dark brown, with many seeds. Seeds 3–4 mm long, reniform or lens-shaped, brown. Fl. IV–V, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in stony, dry places and in areas with eroded carbonate soils. The number of individuals in a population varies from two to several hundred.
Distribution in Bulgaria. NE Bulgaria (Shumen region, Kabiyushka Mogila Nature Monument – with hundreds of individuals; along the right bank of Kamenitsa river near Zlatna Niva village, at about 300 m to the east from the stone quarry – 2 individuals; Taushan Tepe locality at Nevsha river – the largest locality on an area of 1 ha), Danubian Plain (Dragomirovo village, Cherna Mogila locality – hundred of individuals on an area of ca. 0.2 ha; Tranchovitsa village – 4 individuals); at about 200 m alt. There is a herbarium specimen collected from Popgruevo village, Tervel municipality (1976), but since then the species has not been confirmed for this locality.
General distribution. E Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Caucasus, C Asia, Siberia.
Threats. The population along the right bank of Kamenitsa River has reached its critical minimum of two individuals. The population along the left bank of the river was destroyed by the large stone pit. After the fire in Kabiyushka Mogila Nature Monument the population there survived due to the underground parts of the plants.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. The population at Kabiyushka Mogila hill is within Mogilata Protected Site. Parts of the localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the state of the species’ populations.
References. Jordanov 1936; Kuzmanov 1976; Koceva & Dimitrov 1994; Tzonev 2002; Petrova, Meshinev & Apostolova 2007.
Author: Tenyo Meshinev
