Centaurea finazzeri
Centaurea finazzeri Adamović
Centaurea rupestris L.1, 2, Centaurea rupestris subsp. finazzeri (Adamović) Hayek4, 5, Colymbada finazzeri Adamović
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(ii)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial. Stems 5–25(30) cm, simple or sparingly branched above. Leaves ± lanate, simple to bipinnate; lobes up to 2 mm wide, acuminate. Involucre 12–15 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts lanceolate to oblong-triangular, puberulent. Appendages decurrent on the bract, brown, with short fimbriae at the margin, often with an apical, 1–2 mm long mucro. Florets yellow, outer slightly longer than the inner. Achenes c. 4 mm long; pappus 1/3–1/2 as long as the achene. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollination.
Habitats and populations. Grows in dry, rocky and stony places and in rock crevices. The only population in Bulgaria covers an area of ca. 2 km2 and consists of ca. 300 individuals. Individuals are in good condition.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Valley of Struma River (northern – Zemen pass, between Polska Skakavitsa and Garbino villages, Kyustendil district); 480–510 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Greece, R Macedonia and Serbia).
Threats. Railway tunnels passing through the locality; low reproduction and migration potential; specific habitat conditions; restricted distribution.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. An Action plan for conservation of the species is in a process of elaboration.
Conservation measures needed. Proclamation of a protected area; monitoring of the population state; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Sadovo.
References. Dostál 1976; Ninova 1984; Bancheva 2006; Greuter 2008; Petrova & Vladimirov 2009.
Authors: Svetlana Bancheva, Dimitar Dimitrov & Alexandra Yaprakova
