Haplophyllum balcanicum
Haplophyllum balcanicum Vand.
Rutaceae – Rue family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,v); C2a(ii)]. IUCN(R), BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous perennial, woody at base, dotted with translucent glands throughout. Stems 15–20 cm, erect, rounded or indistinctly angled. Leaves 1–1.5 cm long and 1–4 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, sessile, glabrous. Inflorescence a terminal corymb. Sepals deltate to deltate-ovate, entire, glabrous. Petals 8–11 mm long, ovate, concave, narrowed at base, yellow. Fruit a 5-lobed capsule. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in dry, stony places and limestone terrains in the oak forests and beech forests belts. Solitary individuals and small groups of plants take part in calcifilous grassy and scrub communities. Two localities each with a small area of occupancy are known.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Slavyanka Mt (Goleshevo and Petrovo villages); above 1000 m alt.
General distribution. NE Greece, Bulgaria.
Threats. Limited distribution; slow renovation of the population; intensive grazing in the species localities; exploitation of marble quarries; road construction.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Elaboration of an action plan for species conservation; monitoring of population state and reproductive potential aimed at the optimization of the species protection regime; ex situ propagation and cultivation of the species, and if necessary, re-introduction of the taxon to its natural habitats.
References. Hermann et al. 1931; Stojanov & Stefanov 1948; Townsend 1968; Petrova 1979; Ganchev 1980; Evstatieva 1984a.
Author: Antonina Vitkova
