Mannia triandra
Mannia triandra (Scop.) Grolle
Grimaldia rupestris (Nees) Lindenb.3
Aytoniaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)]. BDA, HD, BC. Included in the Red Data Book of European bryophytes as “Rare”.
Morphology and biology. Short-lived perennial, thalloid liverwort. When fresh and after wetting without smell of cedar oil. Thallus bluish green, with clearly delineated air chambers; dichotomously branched, with cordate (heart-shaped) lobes, the lower surface with small colourless or pale pink dorsal scales. Bisexual. The stalk of archegoniophores 2–15 mm long, with single colourless scales on top and at the base. Spores large, with low potential for long-distance dispersal. Does not form gemmae.
Habitats and populations. Grows on bare, calcareous soils among rocks and in rock crevices.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Central – Troyanski Balkan part, locality of Ventsite), Pirin Mt (Southern –hill to the northeast of the village of Nova Lovcha).
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula, S and C Europe, C and E Asia, North America. Sub-continental/subalpine species.
Threats. The species is sensitive to successional changes of the vegetation related to the overgrowing of open habitats with scrubs, afforestation and overgrazing.
Conservation measures taken. The population in the Balkan Range is within the borders of Central Balkan National Park. The species habitats are protected according to the national Biological Diversity Act. All localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria. The species is included in the Red Data Book of Mosses in Europe as “rare”.
Conservation measures needed. To study the dynamics of the numbers and area of the populations, as well as the biology and ecology of the species in Bulgaria; to elucidate the threatening factors and monitor the populations. To establish a protected area for the locality at Nova Lovcha village.
References. Petrov 1963, 1966b, ECCB 1995.
Author: Rayna Natcheva
