Limonium asterotrichum
Limonium asterotrichum (Salmon) Salmon
Plumbaginaceae – Leadwort family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(ii)]. IUCN(VU),BDA. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous perennial. Flowering stems 40–70 cm. Leaves basal, 7–11 cm long, oblanceolate, entire, with stellate hairs, narrowed into a long, narrowly winged petiole. Inflorescence paniculate; spikes dense; spikelets 1(2)-flowered. Calyx 10-lobed, membranous, white. Corolla violet. Fruit a capsule, 1-seeded. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollinated. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grows in dry grassy places on poor sandy and clay soil, in the xerothermic oak forests belt.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Thracian Lowland (Manole village, Plovdiv district), and possibly in Toundzha Hilly Country (around the former Straldzha marshland); from 400 to 450 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. Changes in the land use regimes, stock-farming, grazing and mowing are the main causes of the present critical state of the species population.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Listed in 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants (Walter & Gillet 1998) as “Vulnerable.”
Conservation measures needed. Elaboration of an Action plan for the species conservation; designation of the locality near Manole village as a protected territory.
Note. Limonium asterotrichum was described on material collected by V. Stribrny in July 1900 near Manole village, Plovdiv district. The species has been wrongly reported in the botanical literature for Manolovo village, Stara Zagora district.
References. Ančev 1982, 1984; Stojanov & Stefanov 1948; Petrova & Velchev 2006.
Authors: Valentina Goranova & Mincho Ančev
