Viola gracilis
Viola gracilis Sm.
Violaceae – Violet family
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. Perennial herbaceous plant. Stems numerous, up to 25 cm high, ascending or erect, hispid. Leaves rounded, broadly ovate, ovate or elongate-elliptical, dentate, on the veins and along the edges hairy or rarely glabrous throughout, with palmate or pinnatifid stipules. Flowers single in the leaf axils, with long peduncles. Side and upper petals yellow or blue violet, lower petal yellow, blue violet or pale violet, yellowish orange at the base, with 5–7 darker veins and 6–10 mm long spur. Fruit capsule. Fl. V–VIII, fr. VII–IX. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Dry, grassy and stony places. Occurs usually individually, but in some places large groups are found with a good number of individuals and a high density. Reproductive capability of the species is generally good, seeds show high germination rate.
Distribution in Bulgaria. West Frontier Mts (Osogovo Mt), from 1800 up to 2100 m alt.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, R Macedonia).
Threats. Limited distribution, hay making, stock breeding and grazing, pollution of the habitats due to tourism, collection as ornamental plant.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Protection of the known localities of the species and monitoring of its populations. Designation as protected area of the locality between Choveka and Ruen peaks, where other threatened species occur.
References. Delipavlov 1979, 1984.
Authors: Boris Assyov & Cvetomir M. Denchev
