Stipa lessingiana
Stipa lessingiana Trin. & Rupr.
Poaceae –Grass family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN A2ace; B2ab(ii,iv); C1].
Morphology and biology. Perennial, densely caespitose plant. Stems many, 30–70 cm high, erect, glabrous. Leaves setose, convolute, rugose. Basal leaves exceeding half of the stem. Sheaths longer than the internodes, ligule short, hardly visible. Inflorescence elongated, 10–20 cm long, narrow and congested. Awn 10–20 (25) cm long, bent twice, under the second bend twisted, pinnate in its upper part, hairs up to 8 mm long. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI–VII. Wind pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. The species is of restricted distribution in Bulgaria. Its populations are fragmented, covering small areas in steppe herbaceous communities. The latter are gradually reducing in size as a result of land cultivation for agricultural purposes. The species is sensitive to grazing and disappears in overgrazed areas. In abandoned pastures the steppe communities are replaced by scrub.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (northern), NE Bulgaria, Danubian Plain (Gorna Studena village, Svishtov region), valley of Struma River (Razhdavitsa village, Kyustendil district); 60–300 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula, C Europe, SW Asia, C Asia, Caucasus, W Siberia.
Threats. Ploughing, overgrazing, ruderalization, invasion of shrubs and woods.
Conservation measures taken. Small part of the population are within the borders of Kaliakra Strict Nature Reserve. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the population state; involvement of local farmers in the national agro-ecological programme.
References. Ganchev & Kochev 1963; Vălev 1963; Petrova et al. 2002.
Author: Tenyo Meshinev
