Viola palustris
Viola palustris L.
Violaceae – Violet family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)] BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial, acaulescent herb. Leaves 2–6 in a rosette, glossy, rotundate-reniform, deeply and broadly cordate at base; margin shallowly crenate, with obtuse, distant teeth. Peduncles glabrous. Flowers odourless, solitary in the axils of the rosette leaves. Petals pale lilac, rarely white; upper ones directed upwards and backwards; lateral ones patent and directed towards the lower one, often twisted along their long axis; lower one with dark purple veins. Fruit a capsule. Fl. IV–VI, fr. V–VIII. Reproduction vegetatively and by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Hygrophyte. In bogs, marshy places and Sphagnum-dominated mires, on poor acid soils. Occurs in small groups or solitary.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Pirin Mts, Rhodopi Mts (western, central); 1300–1600 m alt. The locality between Longourliy and Shiroka Polyana has not been confirmed since 1973.
General distribution. Most of Europe (rare in the S and E), North America.
Threats. Climate aridisation; limited distribution of the species; drainage and drying up of the wet places; infrastructure development (construction of holiday houses and small dams); tourism; passing and trampling by humans and animals; invasion of competitors.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The locality in Central Rhodopi Mts is in Chairite Protected Site. Some of the species localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Research on the population size and distribution range, species biology and ecology, threats. Inclusion of some localities in protected areas. Population monitoring. Habitat maintenance and conservation. Preserving of seed material in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria.
References. Delipavlov 1979, 1984; Hájek et al. 2005.
Author: Daniella Ivanova
