Pedicularis oederi
Pedicularis oederi Vahl
Scrophulariacea – Figwort family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iv); C2a(i)].
Morphology and biology. Perennial herb with long, thin root. Stem 3–17 cm high, erect, hollow, usually glabrous below, hairy above. Leaves pinnate, in outline narrowly elliptical, sparsely pubescent or glabrous, lower petiolate, the cauline sessile, alternate. Flowers 4–25, in a spike-like raceme dense at first, lax later. Lower bracts leaf-like, ovate to lanceolate above, sparsely pubescent. Calyx campanulate. Corolla yellow with purple apex of the upper lip or pale yellow with pale pink tube, glabrous. Fruit narrowly ovate, acute, pubescent capsule. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Humid grassy or stony places in the subalpine belt. Population is fragmented, consisting of single individuals or gathered in groups of 3–5. The localities are significantly isolated.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (central), Rila Mts; 2000–2800 m alt.
General distribution. SE Europe (Balkan Peninsula), N Europe, the Alps, Carpathians, Siberia, Ural, C Asia, Arctic Asia, Mongolia, Tibet, India, Himalayas, N America (Alaska, continental USA).
Threats. Global warming and aridisation of climate, destroying of individual plants and pollution due to the tourist flow, soil erosion, small and isolated sub populations.
Conservation measures taken. Some of the localities occur within the borders of Rila and Central Balkan National Parks, and Rilski Manastir Nature Park as well as in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria..
Conservation measures needed. Profound investigation of the size and area of the subpopulations, and the biology and ecology of the species. Including the species in the list of threatened plants.
References. Penev 1984; Peev 1995.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
