Valeriana montana
Valeriana montana L.
Valerianaceae – Valerian family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbaceous plant with short rhizome with nodes, without over-ground shoots. Stems several, 15–50 cm high, with 2–4 pairs of leaves. Basal leaves simple, entire, with long petioles; cauline leaves sessile, entire, rarely 3-fid. Inflorescence terminal, compound. Flowers hermaphroditic. Corolla tubular, white, pink or lilac. Fruits glabrous or subglabrous on one surface. Fl. V–VII, fr. VIII−IX. Insect, rarely wind pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Occurs in stony, rocky ground, mostly calcareous places in the belts of beech and coniferous forests.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (central – Pirdop, Etropole, Karlovo and Kalofer regions), Znepole region (Golo Bardo massif), Vitosha region, Slavyanka Mt, Pirin Mts (northern – Banski Suhodol region, above Banderitsa chalet), Rila Mts (Marichini lakes), Rhodopi Mts (western – Golyama Syutka peak, Chaush and Sestrimo parts of the mountain, central – above Bachkovo, Chervenata Stena Reserve); from 600 up to 1800 m alt. Localities in Balkan Range and Vitosha Mt have not been confirmed since 1929.
General distribution. C and S Europe.
Threats. Tourism, construction activities, grazing and trampling have negative impact on the population state. Restricted distribution, low number of individuals, strong fragmentation, as well as erosion of the species habitats have additional negative effects on the species.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. Part of the localities are within the borders of Rila and Pirin National Parks, Centralen Rilski and Chervenata Stena Strict Nature Reserves, Trigradsko Zhdrelo Protected Site. The localities of the species are within sites of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Confirmation of the localities in Balkan Range and Vitosha Mt; study of the known localities, reproductive biology and factors having impact on the area and number of individuals in the populations; conservation of seeds in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Richardson 1976; Meshinev 1984; Delipavlov et al. 1995.
Author: Lyuba Evstatieva
