Triglochin maritima
Triglochin maritima L.
Juncaginaceae – Arrowgrass family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(i,ii,iii,v) + 2ab(i,ii,iii,v)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbs, with well developed rhizome, clothed with sheaths of old leaves. Stem 10–50 cm high, erect, succulent. Leaves basal, semi-terete, grooved to the apex. Inflorescence dense, in racemes, flowers numerous. Flowers up to 4 mm long, with 6 greenish, to the apex reddish, perianth segments arranged in two circles; ovary formed by 6 carpels. Fruit ovoid, syncarpous, dehiscent at 6 fruitlets. Fl. V–VI, fr. VI– VIII. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Inhabits wet, grassy places on salty soils at sea level. Formed of fragmented populations with low numbers, from single individuals or small groups, because of the specific adaptation to high humidity in combination with soil salinity.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (northern - the bog near Durankulak village).
General distribution. Temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, Mediterranean region, Balkan Peninsula, SW Asia (Asia Minor), Mongolia, C and S America.
Threats. Aridisation of the climate, degradation of the habitat due to the changes of the water regime, water pollution, unregulated grazing in the coastal region, development of tourism, limited distribution and not numerous population, with low density.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The locality of the species is in the Durankulashko Esero Protected Site as well as in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Investigation of the number and area of the populations, biology and ecology of the species, monitoring of the population state and development of Action plan for the species.
References. Yordanov 1963; Kochev 1984.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
