Stachys leucoglossa
Stachys leucoglossa Griseb.
Lamiaceae – Mint family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(ii); C2a(i)]. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbaceous plant. Stem 30–50 cm high, much branched. Leaves shortly hairy, lanceolate, crenate to almost entire, lower broadly elliptical with short petiole, upper narrower, sessile. Verticillasters usually with 6 flowers, distant. Bracts small, subulate or absent. Calyx 6–9 mm long, teeth triangular, almost equal to the tube. Corolla 16–18 mm long, white or pale pink with purple spots, upper lip 5 mm long, lower 8–9 mm. Nutlets obovate, dark brown. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VIII–IX. Reproduction by rhizome shoots and seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grows in dry, eroded places in the lowlands and in the mountains. Occurs in small groups of 2–3 individuals. Populations are fragmented and cover an area of up to 0.1 ha.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast, Danubian plain, Forebalkan, Balkan Range (eastern), valley of Struma River, Rhodopi Mts (western, eastern), Thracian Lowland, Toundzha Hilly Country; up to 800 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Greece).
Threats. Change in the habitats due to human impact: small scale agriculture, grazing, infrastructure development.
Conservation measures taken. Some populations are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the biology and ecology of the species, and of the numerical strength of the populations; protection of the species by the Biodiversity Act; collection of seeds for the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Velenovský 1891; Koeva 1989.
Author: Elena Genova
