Verbascum bugulifolim
Verbascum bugulifolim Lam.
Celsia bugulifolia (Lam.) Jaub. & Spach1, 4
Scrophulariaceae – Figwort family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv)+2ab(ii,iv); C2a(i)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial to annual plant, covered with scattered simple and long glandular hairs. Stem 15–60 cm, simple or branched. Basal leaves in a rosette, petioles 2–5 cm, lamina 2.5–5(8) cm long, 1.2–3(6) cm wide, broadly triangular to cordate-ovate, entire or dentate. Cauline leaves sessile, smaller, similar to the bracts, densely glandular. Flowers single, in a dense, cylindrical raceme, covered by glands with purple heads. Calyx 5–8 mm long, divided to the base. Corolla 25–30 mm in diameter, bluish on outer surface, glandular, with radial yellow stripe; inside green, with papillae on the veins of the two upper petals; upper two petals oblong, twice as narrow as the lower ones. Stamens 4; filaments of the upper two thin, densely covered with white and violet papillae. Capsule 5–8 mm long, oval, densely hairy. Fl. IV–VI, fr. V–VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. On dry, grassy places, pastures, scrub and sparse oak forests. Subpopulations consist of single, scattered individuals. The reproductive potential of the populations is very low.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (southern – between Ahtopol town and Rezovo village), Strandzha Mts (near Brodilovo village and Uzunbudzhak Strict Nature Reserve); from sea level up to 100 m alt.
General distribution. SE Europe (Balkan Peninsula, Turkey-in-Europe), SW Asia (N Anatolia).
Threats. Trampling, grazing by cattle, afforestation, restricted area of distribution, low population density.
Conservation measures taken. The species is protected by the Biodiversity Act. Part of the population is within the borders of protected areas – Silistar Protected Site, Uzunbudzhak Strict Nature Reserve and Strandzha Nature Park. The localities are within a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the size and distribution area of the populations; biology and ecology of the species, threats; monitoring of the populations and collection of seeds for storage in relevant seed gene banks.
References. Stefanova 1984; Stefanova-Gateva 1995; Gussev et al. 2005.
Author: Chavdar Gussev
