Hymenocarpos circinnatus
Hymenocarpos circinnatus (L.) Savi
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(ii)].
Morphology and biology. Annual. Stem 10–30 cm, erect or ascending, densely covered with patent hairs. Lower leaves simple, upper cauline leaves imparipinnate, with 2–3 leaflet pairs; leaflets obovate, elliptical to elliptical-lanceolate, cuneate at base, obtuse or acuminate, entire, greyish green, on both sides with appressed long hairs. Flowers 3–6, in axillary heads, rarely single. Calyx campanulate, with long patent hairs, regular; teeth linear-triangular. Corolla yellow, glabrous. Legume 1–1.5 cm in diameter, discoid-reniform, spirally curved, laterally compressed, serrate-dentate, with dense, short hairs, becoming glabrous at ripening, with 2 seeds, not dehiscent. Seeds lentiform, strongly laterally compressed. Fl. IV–VI, fr. VI–VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. On dry grasslands. Populations are small; the species is not competitive in places with dense grass cover.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (southern – S of Sozopol: Maslen Nos locality, near Ahtopol, between Sinemorets and Rezovo villages), Strandzha Mts (near Izgrev and Brodilovo villages); up to 150 m alt.
General distribution. Mediterranean region, SW Asia.
Threats. Economic activities (stock breeding, tourism, afforestation activities). Small population with low regeneration potential.
Conservation measures taken. Most of the localities are within Strandzha Nature Park and Ropotamo Strict Nature Reserve as well as in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the populations and state of the habitat; collection of seeds for relevant seed genebanks.
References. Kuzmanov 1976; Velev 1984; Meshinev et al. 2005.
Author: Chavdar Gussev
