Minuartia mesogitana
Minuartia mesogitana (Boiss.) Hand.-Mazz.
Caryophyllaceae – Pink family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ac(ii,iii)].
Morphology and biology. Annual herb. Stems 3–16 cm high. Leaves 15–20 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, acute, 3-veined. Flowers bracteate, in many-flowered lax cymes. Pedicels 5–20 mm long. Sepals 3–4 mm long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, green, with white band and 3 parallel veins, glandular hairy. Petals 1.5–3.2 mm long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, white. Fruit ovate-cylindrical capsule, almost equal or a little longer than the calyx. Seeds brown, smooth. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Sandy, well aerated soils, rocky and stony places. Forms fragmentary, small populations, with limited area of occupancy; habitats are under strong anthropogenic pressure.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Northern – Tuzlata locality, Kaliakra Cape near Balchik town), NE Bulgaria; up to 50 m alt.
General distribution. SE Europe, E Mediterranean, SW Asia (Asia Minor).
Threats. Touristic activities and resorts development; habitat disturbance; small number of individuals and small areas of populations, with low reproductive potential.
Conservation measures taken. Some of the localities are in the Kaliakra Strict Nature Reserve, others are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Collection and deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria; studies on the current population state.
References. Kozhuharov & Kuzmanov 1966; Jalas & Suominen 1983; Kamari 1997; Delipavlov 1984.
Author: Ana Petrova
