Polygala amarella
Polygala amarella Crantz
Polygalaceae – Milkwort family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iv,v)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Herbaceous perennial. Stems ascending, with a leaf-rosette at base. Rosulate leaves obovate to obovate-spathulate, cauline lanceolate, acute. Flowers 8–25, arranged in terminal or pseudolateral inflorescences. Outer sepals equal, straight. Inner sepals (wings) equal or longer and narrower than capsule, blue to pale blue. Corolla about as long as the wings, blue. Capsule obcordate, sessile. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in moist, shady high mountainous grasslands, on limestone. Populations are strongly fragmented, small, comprising usually less than 250 mature individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Pirin Mts (Northern – Razlozhki Suhodol, Kamenititsa and Bayuvi Doupki cirques); 1500–2200 m alt.
General distribution. Europe (absent in the southernmost part).
Threats. Small population size; habitat deterioration due to pollution and trampling by tourists.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within Pirin National Park, including in Bayuvi Dupki – Dzhindzhiritsa Strict Nature Reserve as well as in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of population size and area occupied; minimization of the negative impact of tourism; deposition of seeds to the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
Note. In the botanical literature the species has been reported for the whole of the Pirin Mts but actually it is restricted only its northern parts.
References. McNeill 1968; Kožuharov & Petrova 1979; Ganchev 1984; Greuter et al. 1989; Nikolov 1991.
Author: Pepa Ignatova
