Peucedanum ruthenicum
Peucedanum ruthenicum M. Bieb.
Apiaceae – Carrot family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ac(iv); C2a(i)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial. Stem 35–90 cm high, not hollow, glabrous, green or purple. Basal and lower cauline leaves with 8–17 cm long petioles, triply ternate; lobes 2–5 cm long, 1.5–2.6 mm wide, linear, herbaceous, glabrous. Middle cauline leaves with 3.5–10 cm long petioles, filiform, with wide, amplexicaul sheaths. Main rays 10–18, unequal, 2–7 cm long, bracts 1–3, linear, deciduous or absent. Umbels with 15–25 flowers, petals pale yellow. Mericarps equal or almost equal to the pedicels. Fl. VII–VIII, fr. VIII–IX. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in dry stony and grassy places, usually on limestone, but also in wet, mesophytic meadows (Dunavtsi village), with low numbers of individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. NE Bulgaria (Kabiyushka Mogila locality), Balkan Range (eastern – Rizhka Mt, Beklembir peak), Toundzha Hilly Country (meadows near Dunavtsi village, Kazanlak region); at 300–500 m alt.
General distribution. SE Europe and Caucasus.
Threats. Strongly fragmented populations, with low number of individuals and reproductive potential; ploughing of mesophytic meadows.
Conservation measures taken. The population in Kabiyushka Mogila locality is within the borders of Mogilata Protected Site. The localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the state of the species populations; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Denchev 1970; Kuzmanov et al. 1987; Nikolov et al. 1994; Dimitrov & Vutov 2006.
Author: Tenyo Meshinev
