Fritillaria stribrnyi
Fritillaria stribrnyi Velen.
Liliaceae – Lily family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial bulbous herb. Stem 15–40(50) cm. Leaves grey-green, flat, usually alternate; the uppermost 3 in a whorl, narrowly linear; lowest ones oblong-lanceolate, usually obtuse; middle ones linear-lanceolate or linear-acuminate. Flowers 1(2), nodding, narrowly campanulate to conical, versicoloured with brown-purple, wine red and green longitudinal stripes, with greyish-blue tinge, not tessellated. Stigma indistinctly 3-lobbed. Fl. (III) IV–V, fr. VI. Reproduction vegetatively (with small bulblets) and by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grassy places in light low-stemmed deciduous forests (mainly Quescus pubescens), in shrubs. More than 10 localities have been reported, but only 4 of them have been confirmed or newly established since 1975. Forms small groups of individuals or grows solitary.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Thracian Lowland (Stoevo, Lyuben, Ahmatovo villages), Toundzha Hilly Plain (Pobeda, Simeonovo, Boyadzhik, Chelnik, Voynika, Zornitsa, Kroumovo, Miladinovtsi villages, between Golyamo Kroushevo and Boyanovo villages, near Elhovo town); 500–1000 m alt. Some localities have not been confirmed since 1964.
General distribution. Bulgaria, R Macedonia, European Turkey (Thrace).
Threats. Limited distribution of the species; low density of the individuals; poor reproduction; grazing; clearance of forests and shrubs; construction projects; collecting of cut flowers or extirpation for cultivation.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. One of its populations is in Tetralika Nature Monument at Simeonovo village. Some of the species localities are in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Research on population number and range, species biology and ecology, threats. Population monitoring. Some of the localities to be proclaimed as protected areas. Preserving of seed material in the National Seed Genebank of Bulgaria.
References. Yanev 1964; Popova 1984; Petrova & Vladimirov, 2010.
Author: Daniella Ivanova
