Gentiana acaulis
Gentiana acaulis L.
Gentianaceae – Gentian family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(i,ii,iii,v) + 2ab(i,ii,iii,v)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herb with slender roots. Stem short, with remnants of old leaves at base, often with sterile sprouts. Basal leaves sessile, in rosette, lanceolate to elliptical, rare with short petioles. Cauline leaves one pair, beneath the flowers. Flowers single, terminal. Calyx bell-shaped, 3 times shorter than corolla tube. Corolla 50–70 mm long, blue, 5-lobed, the lobes shorter than corolla tube. Fruit dehiscent capsule. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Inhabits rocky places and meadows. Populations are fragmented, with a small number of individuals in small groups or single.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (central – Petrohan, Central Troyanska and Karlovka Mts); 1400–2100 m alt.
General distribution. C, S, SE (Balkan Peninsula) Europe.
Threats. Destruction of the individuals as a result of an active tourism industry, collection of plants for decoration, grazing.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Some of the localities are in the territory of Central Balkan National Park and in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Investigation of the number of individuals, area of distribution, monitoring of the state of the populations. Collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Kozhuharov & Petrova 1982; Ganchev 1984.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
