Erodium absinthoides
Erodium absinthoides Willd.
Geraniaceae – Crane’s-bill family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous rhizomatous perennial. Basal leaves in a rosette, persistent; cauline leaves pinnatisect, lobes linear. Flowers 4–8; peduncles with glandular hairs. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, aristate. Petals two times as long as sepals, bluish violet or white. Fruit dry; mericarps with densely glandular apical pits and spirally twisted beaks. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI–VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in calcareous stony and rocky places on soil with neutral pH. The only Bulgarian population has a good numerical strength.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Western Frontier Mts (Vlachina Planina, Ridishte peak); up to 1200 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor.
Threats. The very limited distribution area; habitat destruction caused by grazing and trampling.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act.
Conservation measures needed. Designation of the only Bulgarian locality as a protected territory; deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Webb & Chater 1968; Petrova & Kožuharov 1979; Petrova 1984; Greuter et al. 1986.
Author: Pepa Ignatova
