Ononis repens
Ononis repens L.
Fabaceae – Pea family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ac(i,ii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Semi-shrub. Stems 40–70 cm, procumbent or ascending, often rooting, with glandular and eglandular hairs. Leaves 1 to 3-foliolate, with stipules; leaflets 5–25 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, ovate, strongly veined with dentate margin, densely glandular hairy. Flowers ebracteate, zygomorphic, born singly, rarely in pairs at each node. Calyx 8–10 mm long, 4 mm wide, campanulate, with linear-triangular teeth and dense glandular hairs. Corolla (7)15–20 mm long, longer than the calyx, pink or purple. Fruit 5–7 mm long, 3–5 mm wide ovate-rhombic legume, with dense glandular hairs. Seeds reniform. Fl. VI–VIII, fr. VII–IX. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows on strongly disturbed and habitats under anthropogenic pressure, humid sandy and grassy places, in lowlands and mountains. Numbers and occupied area of populations are both small.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Znepole region (Lobosh village), Rhodopi Mts, Thracian Lowland (Svilengrad town); up to 1000 m alt.
General distribution. Europe (excluding the extreme N, E and S parts); Bulgaria represents the southernmost border of the species distribution area.
Threats. Changes of land management in the species localities – ameliorations, agricultural activities.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Ivimey-Cook 1968; Kuzmanov 1976; Vassilev 1984; Pavlova & Tosheva 2002.
Author: Ana Petrova
