Ditrichum pallidum
Ditrichum pallidum (Hedw.) Hampe
Ditrichaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Perennial acrocarpous moss forming light to dark green tufts. Shoots erect, thin, to 0.5 cm high. Leaves erect, patent or slightly hooked with broader base, above gradually tapering, margin flat, denticulate in the upper part. Nerve broad at base, longly excurrent above. Bisexual. Spore capsule elongate ovate, straight or slightly inclined, with 4 darker lines, erected on 2–4 cm long yellow to yellow red seta.
Habitats and populations. Grows on wet clayey soil in broadleaf forests. The populations have restricted distribution and low density.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Eastern – Kotlenski Balkan Mts, the slopes of Razboyna peak), Strandzha Mts. (River Marina).
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania), Europe, Caucasus, Asia, Macaronesia, Madagascar, North America. Sub-Mediterranean species.
Threats. Major negative factor is habitat destruction and degradation due to intensive exploitation of the broadleaf forests in the middle mountain belt. The species has lower competitive capacity and is sensitive to successional changes. The small number of populations makes the species vulnerable to stochastic processes.
Conservation measures taken. Some populations 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. Stefanoff & Petrov 1962.
Author: Rayna Natcheva
