Primula frondosa
Primula frondosa Janka
Primulaceae – Primrose family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)]. IUCN (R), BDA, BC. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbs with thin rhizomes. Stem 4–27 cm high, erect, basal and middle part glabrous, upper part with short glandular hairs. Leaves spathulate to obovate, in a basal rosette, glandular, thickly farinose, greyish blue. Inflorescence lax umbel. Flowers 1–20, pink to pale pink, tubular with disk crown and narrow cordate petals. Fruit a dehiscing unilocular capsule. Fl. VI–VIII, fr. VIII–IX. Reproduction by seeds and vegetatively.
Habitats and populations. Wet, grassy places along streams, very wet stony crevices, on limestone, rarely on silicate. Population is fragmented due to the adaptation to a very specific habitat. It occurs in two comparatively isolated areas Balkan Range (central) – at 800 m alt. in the lower part of Koru Dere locality, near Gabarevo village and at higher elevation (2000–2200 m alt.) in other parts of the mountain. Populations are dense but some of them grow in the water insufficiency.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (central); 800–2200 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. Deterioration of the habitat because of the aridisation and warming of the climate, destruction of individuals by tourists.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are on the territory of Central Balkan National Park, some of them in the Dzhendema, Sokolna and Stara Reka Strict Nature Reserves and in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Investigation of chorology and state of the different fragments of the population at the lower altitudes.
References. Peev 1982; Peev 1984; Peev 2006.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
