Chamaecytisus kovacevii
Chamaecytisus kovacevii (Velen.) Rothm.
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii;iii;iv)+2ab(ii;iii;iv)]. IUCN(R), BDA. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Shrub. Stems 10–40 cm high, woody at base, erect, with dense, patent hairs. Leaves 3-foliate; leaflets elliptical, 10–12 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, acute, entire, with greyish, appressed hairs. Flowers 2–5, in capitula, covered by the upper cauline leaves. Corola 10–15 mm long, white, appressed hairy. Legume 2–2.5 cm long, 5–6 mm wide, elliptical, compressed, with patent hairs. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–IX. Pollinated by insects. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in steppe communities and in meadows in open oak forests, more frequently in lowlands and plains. Populations usually with low number of individuals and strongly fragmented, consisting of single, or several tens of individuals; only in Roussenski Lom locality the population amounts up to more than 500 individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. NE Bulgaria (the valley of Yantra river – near the town of Byala, the valley of Roussenski Lom river), Danubian plain (Pleven, Oryahovo, Nikopol, Svistov regions, along Tzibritza river), Forebalkan (western – Montana region), Balkan Range (western); up to 500 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. Ploughing of steppe communities, cutting of woods, grazing, fires; strongly fragmented populations with low number of individuals.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the national Biodiversity Act. Included in 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants with a category “rare”. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the numerical strength and area of the populations, taxonomy and ecology of the species. Collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Sadovo. Expansion of the borders of Roussenski Lom and Persina Nature Parks so as to encompass some of the localities of the species.
References. Kuzmanov 1976, 1984; Walter & Gillet 1998; Tzonev 2004.
Author: Rossen Tzonev
