Elymus varnensis
Elymus varnensis (Velen.) Kožuharov
Agropyrum intermedium (Host) Beauv. subsp. intermedium var. varnense (Velen.) Kitan.3, Agropyron varnense (Velen.) Hayek1, Elymus hispidus (Opiz) Melderis subsp. varnensis (Velen.) Melderis
Poaceae – Grass family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(ii,iii,iv)c(ii,iii)]. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plant. Culm 60–100 cm high. Leaf blades flat or enrolled; veins prominent; dense and shortly hairy on the veins above. Spike up to 30 cm, sparse. Spikelets almost cylindrical, 15–20 mm long, distant, shorter than the internodes in the lower part of the spike, close to the axis. Glumes up to ½ of the spike length, 7–10 mm long, with 5–7 veins. Lemma 9–11 mm long, with a keel towards the apex, blunt or with a short awn. Fl. V–VII, fr. VII–IX. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. On dry stony or sandy places and coastal sands.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (northern – Kavarna, Varna, Aksakovo, southern – Poda, Tsarevo).
General distribution. Bulgarian endemic.
Threats. Habitat changes due to the intensive seaside tourism, urban development and stock breeding; pollution by domestic waste.
Conservation measures taken. Some of the known localities are within sites of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000.
Conservation measures needed. Inclusion in the Appendix 3 of the national Biodiversity Act. Survey of the population extent and inclusion of the species in the National System for Biodiversity Monitoring. Conservation of the species favoured habitats.
References. Kitanov 1963; Melderis 1980; Petrova 1984; Kozhuharov 1986, 1992a.
Authors: Cvetomir M. Denchev, Boris Assyov
