Viola delphinantha
Viola delphinantha Boiss.
Violaceae –Violet Family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(ii,iii,v)]. IUCN (R), BDA, HD, BC. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Shrubs in tufts, with woody rhizome. Stems 5–30 cm high, thin, erect, glabrous. Leaves sessile, linear to lanceolate, glabrous, with one vein, entire. Stipules like the leaves. Flower stalks glabrous, erect or patent. Flowers not fragrant, solitary, rounded or wide obovate. Petals pink, upper spread and lightly curved backwards and sideways, lateral petals spread sideways and lightly curved down, lower petals indented at the apex, with 2.0–3.5 cm long, curved and downwardly deflect spur. Fruit capsule. Fl. V–VII, fr. VII–IX. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Inhabits limestone rocks, rocky crevices and stony places. Forming fragmented, not large populations. Because of the general aridisation of the climate, the quality of the habitat is changed and the area of distribution and the number of individuals have decreased.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Mt Slavyanka (Parilski Dol locality), 950–1700 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria, Greece.
Threats. Extreme temperatures, botanical collections, small population, low density of individuals.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The locality is within Alibotush Strict Nature Reserve as well as in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Targeted research of the numerical strength and area of the populations, biology and ecology of the species, monitoring of the population state.
References. Delipavlov 1979; Delipavlov 1984; Raus 1986; Meshinev 2006.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
