Roemeria hybrida
Roemeria hybrida (L.) DC.
Papaveraceae – Poppy family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(ii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Annual herb with yellow latex. Stems erect, up to 50 cm. Basal leaves petiolate, 1–2-pinnate; cauline leaves sessile, 2-pinnate; ultimate segments lanceolate or linear, obtuse, with a short awn. Flowers large, solitary, terminal. Sepals 2, ovate, caducous, with short setae. Petals 4, 10–30 mm, deep violet, darker at base, obovate, entire. Fruit a linear-cylindrical capsule, uniformly covered with stiff, prickly setae. Fl. IV–VII, fr. VI–VIII. Pollination by insects. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Weed, more often in cereals, grows also in sandy and grassy places.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Valley of Struma River (Koulata village, Stroumyani village, Boboshevski Rouen), Thracian Lowland (Besaparski Ridove, Katounitsa village, Sadovo town, Nova Zagora town); up to 500 m alt. The species has not been collected near Sadovo since 1910, near Katounitsa – since 1914. It is reported for Pazardzhik district (between Pazardzhik and Panagyurishte towns), as well as for the northern slopes of Rhodopi Mts (Markovo village, Krichim town, between Krichim and Skobelevo village).
General distribution. S Europe, Crimea, the Caucasus, SW and C Asia, N Africa.
Threats. Limited distribution of the species; agriculture intensification; abandonment of agricultural lands, invasion of competitive plant species and subsequent process of turfing.
Conservation measures taken. Some of the species localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Protection of the species by the national Biodiversity Act. Research on population size and distribution range. Implementation of the measures envisaged in the National Agro Ecological Program to maintain the biodiversity and preserve the habitats of threatened plant species in intensively cultivated fields. Preserving of seed material in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Kuzmanov 1970; Panov 1972, 1975a; Stanev 1975.
Author: Daniella Ivanova
