Leontodon saxatilis
Leontodon saxatilis Lam.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Perennial herb covered with 2–3-fid stalked eglandular hairs. Stems 5–20 cm, simple. Leaves 20–150 × 3–10 mm, oblanceolate, entire to pinnatifid, attenuate in a petiole. Capitula solitary. Involucral bracts 6–9 mm long, with dark brown, membranous margin, usually with few rigid 2-fid hairs. Outermost ligules with a greyish violet stripe on the outer face. Achenes of 2 types – the outermost with a pappus of small scarious scales, the inner more or less beaked and with a well developed pappus of hairs. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs by dirt roads, extensively used pastures and in meadows of the type Chrysopogono-Danthonion with a not very dense vegetation cover. Forms a fragmented population. Each subpopulation consists of tens to a few hundred of mature individuals growing solitary or more often in variably sized groups.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Forebalkan (Western – near Vurshets town and Spanchevtsi village), Balkan Range (Western – Godech town); at 400–800 m alt.
General distribution. W, C and S Europe, NW Africa.
Threats. Changes in the current regime of meadows utilization (e.g. stopping of the hay mowing, ploughing) and household pollution may represent a potential threat for the species.
Conservation measures taken. The localities are within a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000. An Action plan for conservation of the species is in a process of elaboration.
Conservation measures needed. Studies on the species’ biology and ecology and the impact of the particular threats; population monitoring and deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Finch & Sell 1976; Dimitrova et al. 2005; Vladimirov & Petrova 2010.
Authors: Vladimir Vladimirov & Dessislava Dimitrova
