Genista germanica
Genista germanica L.
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(ii); C2a(ii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Shrub, 10–60 cm tall, much branched, with axillary spines, rarely unarmed as is the case with the Bulgarian population. Leaves simple, elliptical, acute, entire, subsessile, without stipules. Inflorescences terminal. Calyx sericeous, 2-lipped. Corolla yellow. Legume 1 cm long, 0.5 cm wide; seeds 1–2, rounded, compressed, brown and smooth. Fl. V–VI, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs at the margin of Picea abies forests and mixed Pices abies – Pinus sylvestis forests. Population is small, comprising not more than 50–100 individuals. Most plants grow along a forest road.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rhodopi Mts (western – near Toshkov Chark and Shiroka Polyana dams); 1600 m alt.
General distribution. C Europe, W Russia.
Threats. The species habitat is at the forest margin, in close proximity to a forest truck road, and thus more intensive use of the road may cause destruction of individuals.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The locality is in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria. An Action plan for conservation of the species is in a process of elaboration.
Conservation measures needed. Implementation of the measures from the Action plan for species conservation.
Note.In the first edition of the Red Data Book of PR Bulgaria the species was evaluated as “extinct” (Velev 1984) due to the lack of data for a period of more than 50 years.
References. Kuzmanov 1976, Velev 1984.
Author: Iva Apostolova
