Draba siliquosa
Draba siliquosa M. Bieb.
D. carinthiaca Hoppe1, 3, 5
Brassicaceae – Cabbage family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)].
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous laxly caespitose perennial. Stems up to 15 cm, leafless or with 1–3 leaves. Basal leaves in a rosette, lanceolate, usually entire, covered with branched hairs. Inflorescence racemose, with 4–8 flowers. Petals white, up to 4 mm long, rounded at apex, narrowed at base into a claw. Fruit a glabrous silicula, on a spreading stalk. Seeds small, 8–16 in each loculus, pale brown. Fl. (VI)VII–VIII, fr. VIII–IX. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in open rocky places, slopes and rocky grasslands, in the coniferous forests and high mountain belts. Populations are small, fragmented, most probably with poor reproductive potential.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Pirin Mts (northern – Zhelezhnishki cirque), Rila Mts (Marichini Chalove, Malyovishki cirque, around Ribni lakes, peaks Yosafitsa, Elenin and Nalbant); between 1800 and 2640 m alt.
General distribution. C and S Europe, SW Asia, the Caucasus.
Threats. Destruction of habitats and reduction of population area of occupancy are caused mainly by anthropogenic pressure (grazing, tourism, trampling). Potential threats are natural disasters (fires, land-sliding, rain-floods).
Conservation measures taken. Some localities are within protected territories (Rila National Park, including Central Rila Reserve, Rilski Manastir Nature Park) as well as in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Population monitoring; maintenance of habitats natural conditions through restriction of tourist activities, grazing and trampling in the localities of the species.
References. Simeonovski 1965; Vălev 1970; Meshinev 1984; Peev et al. 2000; Ančev 2007.
Authors: Mincho Anchev & Valentina Goranova
