Corsinia coriandrina
Corsinia coriandrina (Spreng.) Lindb.
Corsinia reticulata (Gmelin) Dum.3
Corsiniaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Short-lived perennial or annual thalloid liverwort with a scent of coriander when fresh. Thallus pale greyish to bluish green, dichotomously branched, 2–3 cm long, up to 0.5 cm wide. Air chambers clearly outlined, with multi-angular openings. Spore capsules sessile along the centre of the dorsal surface of thallus, oval with thick walls bearing long, needle shaped warts. Uni- or bisexual. Forms few large spores, not effective for long distance dispersal. Does not form gemmae.
Habitats and populations. Grows on dry sandy soils in rock crevices, mainly on silicate. The populations have restricted distribution and low density, low growth rate and variable numbers.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Northern – between Kavarna town and Topola village, and in Galata Cape, Varna). Reported for Strandzha Mts.
General distribution. S and W Europe, Mediterranean islands, Caucasus, N Africa, Macaronesia, North and South America. Mediterranean species.
Threats. The large-scale overbuilding of coastal areas, tourism, household waste pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Some localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. To study the dynamics of numbers and area of the populations, as well as the biology and ecology of the species in Bulgaria, to elucidate the threatening factors and monitor the populations.
References. Petkoff 1908.
Author: Rayna Natcheva
