Ligularia glauca
Ligularia glauca (L.) O. Hoffm.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Glaucous, glabrous perennial herb. Stem 50–150 cm, erect, simple. Basal leaves oblong ovate to elliptical, entire or weakly denticulate, narrowed at base to a petiole up to as long as the lamina; cauline smaller, the upper subsessile. Capitula shortly pedunculate, in short, dense bracteate spikes. Ligules 6–12, yellow. Achenes 4–6 mm, with a dirty white pappus. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in grassy and rocky places in the coniferous and subalpine vegetation belts, usually on damp soils and in secondary mountain meadows.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rila Mts (by Droushlyavitsa River above Rila Monastery and by Eleshnitsa River beneath Demirkapiya peak), at 1200–2000 m alt.
General distribution. Rila Mts, Carpathians, W Siberia.
Threats. The very limited distribution area and small population of the species in Bulgaria; low competitiveness of the species; tourism development may cause trampling of individuals and disturbance of the water content of the substrate.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species under the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are included in Rilomanastirka Gora Strict Nature Reserve and in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Estimation of the population size and density; 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. Vulev 1953; Chater 1976; Bondev 1984.
Author: Vladimir Vladimirov
