Gentiana frigida
Gentiana frigida Haenke
Gentianaceae – Gentian family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ac(i,iii); D]. BDA. Tertiary relic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial with short rhizome. Stems 1–7 cm, at base with a sheath of leaf-remnants from the previous year. Leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, sessile of very shortly pedunculate. Flowers 2–3, yellowish white with blue stripes and with bluish spots in the throat, in a terminal inflorescence. Capsule elliptical-lanceolate, dehiscent. Fl. VII–VIII, fr. VIII–IX. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in open herbaceous communities on silicate in the alpine belt, on northern and northwestern slopes, on shallow soil. The population in Rila Mts has a low number of individuals. Participates in communities of Carex rupestris, Carex curvula, Sesleria riloensis, Festuca riloensis, Primula minima, Armeria alpina, etc.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (western), Rila Mts (Deno and Musala peaks); between 2550 and 2840 m alt.
General distribution. C Europe (the Alps and the Carpathians – Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia) and Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovenia).
Threats. Tourism, collection of the plants for its decorative features.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. All localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Distribution in the chalets of information flyers about the conservation value of the species.
References. Hayek 1930; Ganchev 1982; Kozhuharov & Petrova 1984.
Author: Dimitar Dimitrov
