Erysimum cheiranthoides
Erysimum cheiranthoides L.
Brassicaceae – Cabbage family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(ii)].
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous annual. Stems up to 120 cm, with 2–5-fid hairs. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 2–7 cm long, lower petiolate, entire to sinuate-dentate; upper subsessile. Inflorescence many flowered. Petals yellow, cuneate, long-clawed at base. Siliqua up to 30 mm long, linear, hairy. Seeds brown, numerous. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI–VII. Mostly self-pollinated. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grows in grassy, often ruderal places by roads, rivers, settlements, usually on alluvial soil. Takes part in synanthropic plant communities. In other countries it occurs also in vegetable fields.
Distribution in Bulgaria. NE Bulgaria (Malak Kosui island, Silistra district), Danubian Plain (Golyama Barzina island, Belene district), Balkan Range (western – above Berkovitsa town); from 100 up to 450 m alt. Reported for Thracian Lowland (region of Pazardzhik town) but needs confirmation.
General distribution. Europe, Mediterranean area, C and SE Asia, Siberia, N Africa. Introduced in N America. Bulgarian localities are the only ones on the Balkan Peninsula.
Threats. The intensive agricultural activities in the species localities cause habitat deterioration and reduction of the area of occupancy. This, together with the very limited distribution of the taxon in the country, threatens the species with extinction.
Conservation measures taken. The occurrence on Golyama Barzina island is in Persina Nature Park, that on Malak Kosui island is included in Ostrov Pozharevo Protected Site. The known localities of the species are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Population monitoring aimed at the optimization of the species protection regime; maintenance of the native plant communities in which the species takes part.
References. Assenov 1970; Ančev 1984, 2001, 2007; Dimitrov 1991; Jalas & Suominen 1994; Stoyanov 2008.
Authors: Valentina Goranova & Mincho Anchev
