Silene graeca
Silene graeca Boiss. & Spruner
Caryophyllaceae – Pink family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Annual, herbaceous plant. Stems up to 50 cm high, usually not branched, glabrous. Leaves opposite, obovate to elliptical, up to 3.5 cm long, 1.5 cm wide, glabrous. Inflorescence terminal dichasium. Calyx 5-merous, up to 15 mm long, glabrous, cylindrical, with 10 parallel veins. Petals white or pink, deeply bifid, 1.5–2.0 cm long. Fruit cylindrical capsule with curved backwards teeth. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Dry grasslands and sandy places. Populations are with low numbers of individuals and most often the species is presented by single plants.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Valley of River Struma (Southern – Chuchuligovo, Koulata and Ruzhdak villages), Slavyanka Mt (above Petrovo village), at 50 up to 800 m alt.
General distribution. Southern parts of the Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, R Macedonia).
Threats. The limited distribution, the agricultural activities and afforestation, infrastructure development at Koulata village.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitat and of the known localities. Survey of the status and monitoring of the populations.
References. Velchev & Bondev 1961; Jordanov & Panov 1966; Petrova 1984; Tutin et al. 1993; Petrova & Vladimirov 2010.
Authors: Boris Assyov & Cvetomir M. Denchev
