Verbascum rupestre
Verbascum rupestre (Davidov) I.K. Ferguson
Scrophulariaceae – Figwort family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iv)+2ab(iv)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial plant with glandular hairs. Stems 20–60 cm. Leaves dark green, lyrate or pinnatissect, the basal larger and with more lobes. Inflorescence racemose. Flowers up to 2 cm in diameter. Corolla yellow, stamens 4, the lower two with longer filaments, with a fascicle of long violet hairs and decurrent anthers, the upper with hairy filaments and reniform anthers. Fruit a capsule. Fl. V–VII, fr. VII–IX. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. On rocks, almost always in rock crevices on vertical walls, only rarely in stony places. The known localities are on siliceous bedrock. Populations are very fragmented due to the distribution of the appropriate habitats. The observed subpopulations in Kovan Kaya (Meden Kamak) locality near Madzarovo town and near Sredna Arda and Zhelezni Vrata have low numbers and densities.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rhodopi Mts (eastern: rocky massifs in Arda River valley, Gorno Lukovo village, Gluhite Kamani locality), Thracian Lowland (south of Harmanli town and near Mezek village); up to 800 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, NE Greece).
Threats. Limited distribution and low densities of the populations; in the past, mining activities. Other unknown negative factors may also be a threat.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the Biodiversity Act. Some localities are in protected areas (Kovan Kaya and Sredna Arda Protected Sites) and in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Studies on the population status, biology and ecology of the species and the threats; strict implementation of the regimes of the protected territories.
References. Kitanov 1943; Delipavlov 1992; Andreev 1993; Vasileva & Todorova 1994; Stefanova-Gateva 1995; Stoichev & Petrova 2003; Petrova 2004b.
Author: Antoaneta Petrova
