Crepis bithynica
Crepis bithynica Boiss.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(ii,iii)]. IUCN(R), BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial with a short rhizome. Stems 1–4, 5–12 cm, simple or with up to 4 branches. Leaves basal, up to 10 × 1.3 cm, spathulate, rounded-obtuse or oblanceolate, shallowly lobed or dentate. Capitula 1–4. Involucre 9–12 × 4 mm; bracts linear-lanceolate, acute. Achenes 5–6 × 0.5 mm, pale greenish-yellow, fusiform, 15-striate. Fl. VII–IX, fr. VIII–X. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds or vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. On calcareous screes, stony meadows and in rock crevices, strict calcicole. In Bulgaria the species is represented by two varieties: Crepis bithynica var. bithynica – in Pirin Mts (Northern) at Cherna Mogila peak, along the path from Banderitsa chalet to Kazanite locality and in Bayuvi Dupki – Dzhindzhiritsa Strict Nature Reserve and Crepis bithynica var. fodorii – Orelek peak, Pirin Mts (Southern).
Distribution in Bulgaria. Pirin Mts; above 1500 m alt.
General distribution. Mountains of S Balkan Peninsula (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece), Asia Minor (Turkey). Balkan near-endemic.
Threats. Some of the localities are heavily impacted by tourism or construction activities (Cherna Mogila cable car station, TV retranslation station at Orelek peak).
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. Included in 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants with a category “rare”. Most of the species population is within the borders of Pirin National Park and in Orelyak Strict Nature Reserve. All populations are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Detailed study of the chorology, biology and ecology of the species, numerical strength and area of its subpopulations; long-term monitoring and assessment of the undertaken conservation measures; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Lamond 1975; Sell 1976; Kuzmanov 1984a; Walter & Gillet 1998; Dimitrova 2002.
Author: Dessislava Dimitrova
