Viola stojanowii
Viola stojanowii W. Becker
Violaceae – Violet family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)]. IUCN(R), BDA. Balkan endemic.
Morphology and biology. White-hispid, caespitose perennial. Stems 1–5 cm. Leaves more or less fleshy, dense, entire or with 1–2 pairs of small, rounded teeth. Peduncles glabrous. Flowers odourless, solitary in the leaf-axils of the middle leaves. Petals yellow, upper and lateral ones sometimes tinged on the periphery or very rarely completely blue-violet, almost identical in shape; upper ones directed upwards; lateral ones patent and bent towards the upper ones, slightly overlapping with them; lower one shallowly incised, almost orange at base, with dark violet veins. Fruit a capsule. Fl. VI–VII, fr. VII–IX. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grassy and stony terrains, on shallow soils subjected to weak erosion in some places. Always in small areas, with low number of individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Belasitsa Mt (between Lozen and Toumba peaks); above the timberline (1500–1900 m alt.).
General distribution. On the territory of Belasitsa Mt in Greece, Bulgaria and R Macedonia.
Threats. Mainly natural threats: limited area of distribution, low population density, natural disasters. Extirpation and collecting for ornamental purposes; fires also can be a danger.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Species localities are within Belasitsa Nature Park as well as in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Research on population size and distribution range, species biology and ecology, threats. Population monitoring. Preserving of seed material in the National Seed Genebank of Bulgaria.
References. Delipavlov 1979, 1984.
Author: Daniella Ivanova
