Daphne cneorum
Daphne cneorum L.
Thymeleaceae – Daphne family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(i,ii,iii)].
Morphology and biology. Evergreen dwarf shrub with long, slender, straight, smooth branches; young shoots pubescent, greyish. Leaves 10–18(25) × (2)3–5(6) mm, usually 3–4 times as long as wide, oblong or linear-oblanceolate, obtuse, sessile, glabrous, not clustered at the ends of the branches. Flowers fragrant, pink, subsessile, in heads of 6–10(20). Hypanthium 6–10 mm long, usually covered with whitish hairs; sepals 4–6 mm, obtuse. Drupe brownish yellow, included in the hypanthium till ripe. Fl. VI–VI, fr. VI–VIII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Single individuals to mosaic subpopulations growing on dry, stony and rocky places in coniferous forests, on limestone. Subpopulations with good reproductive potential.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Western, Central), Znepole region, Pirin Mts; from 900 up to 2900 m alt.
General distribution. W, C and E Europe, Mediterranean region, SW Asia (Asia Minor).
Threats. Timber production (cutting of coniferous forests) and potential impact of tourism (construction of tourism facilities).
Conservation measures taken. Most subpopulations of the species are within Pirin and Central Balkan National Parks and in Ostritsa Managed Nature Reserve. Some localities 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; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Webb & Ferguson 1968; Markova & Cherneva 1979; Markova 1984.
Author: Dessislava Dimitrova
