Hypericum androsaemum
Hypericum androsaemum L.
Clusiaceae – St. John’s Wort family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(i,ii)+2ab(i,ii); C2a(ii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Deciduous small shrub. Stems 30–100 cm, erect, greenish brown to greenish black, branched, rounded, 2-lined. Leaves sessile, broadly ovate to elliptic-ovate, 3–9 cm long. Inflorescences short terminal racemes. Flowers usually 1–5(15), 15–30 mm in diameter, erect. Sepals entire, unequal, with sparse intramarginal glands, deflexed in fruit. Petals yellow, obovate, asymmetrical, entire or shallowly lobed, eglandular. Stamens numerous, in 5 fascicles, deciduous; anthers yellow. Styles 3, shorter than ovary. Fruit ovoid to globose, fleshy, changing the colour from green through reddish to black when ripe, erect. Fl. V–VIII, fr. VIII–IX. Insect and self-pollinated. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in moist shady valleys in forests, on well drained soils with various acidity. Forms populations with a small number of individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Strandzha Mt; up to 100 m alt.
General distribution. W and S Europe, Mediterranean area, SW Asia, the Caucasus.
Threats. Climate and habitat aridisation, wood cutting, afforestation with exotic species, fires, changes in the land-use regimes of the non-agricultural land, collecting for ornamental purposes.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Most of the localities are within Strandzha Nature Park, including Silkosiya and Uzunbudzhak Strict Nature Reserves as well as in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Protection and maintenance of species habitats.
References. Jordanov & Kožuharov 1970; Stanev 1984; Robson 1985.
Author: Valeri Georgiev
