Hedysarum grandiflorum
Hedysarum grandiflorum Pall. subsp. bulgaricum Kožuharov
Fabaceae – Legume family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)]. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial, herbaceous plant with creeping rhizome. Stems 20–30 cm high, underdeveloped, sparsely hairy or glabrous. Stipules 2–3 mm long, triangular, brown. Leaves 2–5 pairs, elliptical-ovate, pubescent, clustered at the apex of a peduncle. Racemes oblong, terminal, with 10–25 flowers. Flowers 15–25 mm long. Corola yellowish white, often tinged with pink. Legume 5–10 mm long, setose, shortly spinulose. Seed 2 mm long, reniform. Fl. V–VII, Fr. VI–VIII. Pollinated by insects. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. Occurs on hill slopes, in the composition of xerothermic, open steppe plant communities, on slightly saline mergels and limestone. In some places the species populations are with many individuals and dominate the community.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Danubian Plain (the town of Levski – Karamandol locality and near Kozar Belene, Chervena and Delyanovtsi villages; along the valley of Studena river between Svistov and Pavlikeni – near Sovata, Hadzhidimitrovo and Alekovo villages; Dragomirovo and Novo Selo villages); up to 300 m alt.
General distribution. N Bulgaria. Endemic for the Danubian Plain.
Threats. Ploughing of steppe communities, grazing and trampling; natural, strong fragmentation of populations, low rate of seed germination; adaptation of the species to specific climatic conditions.
Conservation measures taken. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Protection of the species by the national Biodiversity Act; study of the numerical strength and size of the populations, ecological peculiarities of the species, existing threats. Collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Sadovo. Proclamation of the most representative populations of the species as a protected areas, for instance the population in Karamandol locality, part of the population in the valley of Studena river (Delihasan locality – between Sovata and Hadzhidimitrovo villages).
References. Ganchev & Kochev 1963; Kozhuharov 1976, 1984; Tzonev 2004.
Author: Rossen Tzonev
