Salix pentandra
Salix pentandra L.
Salicaceae – Willow family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(i,ii); C2a(ii), D]. BDA. Relict.
Morphology and biology. Small trees or shrubs, 3–7 m tall. Leaves 2–4 times as long as wide, somewhat coriaceous, with 1.4 cm long petioles. Male and female catkins cylindrical, up to 6 cm long. Stamens 5, free, nearly twice as long as the bracts. Female flowers with 2 nectaries. Seeds with a tuft of long white hairs. Fl. V-VI, fr. VI – VII. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means. Reproduction potential is very poor.
Habitats and populations. Grows in wet grasslands, often with abundance of Sphagnum species. The localities are situated in the beech and coniferous forests belts. The population is fragmented, comprising groups of a few specimens or single individuals. Major part of the population is concentrated in one locality with several tens of specimens.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Vitosha Region (Ofeliite locality, Actors’ Resting House), Znepole Region (Choklyovo Blato – extinct).
General distribution. Europe, Caucasus, Siberia, SE Asia.
Threats. Climate aridisation; draining of habitats; fires; poor reproductive potential.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within Vitosha Nature Park that has elaborated and adopted its Management Plan in 2005. The species has been re-introduced in Choklyovo Blato using plant material from Vitosha Mt. All localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Increasing of the numerical strength of the population in Vitosha Mt through propagation of material from Ofeliite locality.
References. Velčev 1966; Velchev 1984.
Author: Iva Apostolova
