Scorzonera parviflora
Scorzonera parviflora Jacq.
Asteraceae – Daisy family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iii); C2a(i)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Glabrous herbaceous perennial or biennial. Stems (10)15–60 cm, solitary or few, simple or with 1–3 branches, fleshy, erect. Basal leaves 7–30 × 0.5–1.5 cm, linear-lanceolate, acute, entire, flat, often more or less petiolate. Capitula 12–25 mm in diameter. Ligule pale yellow, sometimes with pale, purple stripe on outer surface, 1–1.5 times as long as bracts. Achenes 7–9 mm, cylindrical, with smooth ribs, glabrous. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–VIII. Insect pollination. Reproduction mostly by seeds. Achenes dispersed by wind.
Habitats and populations. Wet, saline deep soils; member of halophytic plant communities. Population consists of single, dispersed individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Southern – northwards from Burgas Lake, near Dolno Ezerovo village).
General distribution. Europe from NW Czech Republic to European Russia and from central parts of E Spain, through Bulgaria to Crimea.
Threats. Pollution, draining of wet areas, trampling by animals.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. The locality is in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Detailed study of its chorology, population size, biology and ecology; long-term monitoring; collection and deposition of seeds in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Delipavlov 1961; Chater 1976; Ganchev 1984.
Author: Dessislava Dimitrova
