Cirsium bulgaricum
Cirsium bulgaricum DC.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Biennial herbaceous plant. Stem 60–100 cm high. Leaves pinnatisect, regularly covering the whole stem, arachnoid-lanate beneath; lobes lanceolate to narrowly triangular, with rigid apical, 3–10(16) mm long spines. Capitula 1–10, with 2–6(9) lanceolate to narrowly triangular subtending leaves. Involucre 24–35 mm long, 22–35 mm wide, ovate-globose, sparingly arachnid to glabrous. Outer involucral bracts suberect; middle erecto-patent, slightly widened to the spinose-serrulate apex, with rigid, apical, 1–3.5 mm long spine. Florets purple. Achenes 5–6 mm long. Pappus 19–22 mm long. Fl. VI–VIII, fr. VIII–X. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Anthropophyte. Occurs in the periphery of degraded forests of Quercus cerris and Q. frainetto, in ruderal places, along roads and settlements. Populations are mosaic and with good reproductive potential.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (southern), Strandzha Mts; up to 300 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria, Turkey (Turkey-in-Europe and W Anatolia).
Threats. Sudden changes in the plant communities with human impact; restricted distribution in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. Part of the population in Strandzha Mt. is within the borders of Strandzha Nature Park. Some localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the population state.
References. Werner 1976; Kuzmanov 1984.
Author: Svetlana Bancheva
