Geranium macrostylum
Geranium macrostylum Boiss.
Geraniaceae – Crane’s-bill family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous perennial with a tuberous rhizome. Stem solitary, erect. Leaves deeply lobed, with pinnatisect lobes. Flowers in pairs, each pair on a peduncle. Pedicels with glandular hairs and sometimes also with simple eglandular hairs. Sepals 8–12 mm long. Petals longer than sepals, emarginate, pinkish lilac. Fruit dry, mericarps without ridges, with single eglandular hairs, with persistent, curved beaks. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI–VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in scrub on stony terrains. Populations are small.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Slavyanka Mt (Pazluka locality near Ilinden village), Pirin Mts (Southern – Lyaskovski peak above Musomishta village, Baba peak), Rhodopi Mts (Eastern – Gaberovo and Lambouh villages); 250–300 m alt. The occurrence of the species in Popovi Livadi locality in Southern Pirin Mt is extinct.
General distribution. SE Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, East Aegean Islands), Turkey-in-Asia.
Threats. Small population sizes; limited distribution; tourism infrastructure development; agricultural activities (mowing, grazing, trampling).
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Habitat protection through designation of protected areas in some of the species localities (e.g. near Musomishta and Ilinden villages where also other species of conservation concern occur); deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Webb & Ferguson 1968; Petrova & Kožuharov 1979; Petrova 1984; Cheshmedzhiev 1988; Greuter et al. 1989; Petrova, Gerassimova & Vassilev 1998.
Author: Pepa Ignatova
