Achillea thracica

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Common names

Scientific name

Achillea thracica Velen.

Conservation status and threats

The species is PROTECTED by the law in Bulgaria.

Listed in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria to the category "Critically Endangered"¹.

Description and identification

Herbaceous perennial plant. Stems 30–50 cm. Leaves pinnate, with linear-lanceolate to linear-triangular lobes, puberulent, densely glandular-punctate. Inflorescence corymbose, with many capitula; ligules golden yellow. Achenes oblong, epappose. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds, dispersed through anemochory and zoochory, and by vegetative means (with rhizomatous shoots). Flowering June-September².

Habitat

Grows in dry grassy places along roads, in scrub and forest glades in the xerothermic oak forest belts. Populations are small, fragmented, each fragment comprising a few individuals. More compact and abundant subpopulation is to be found in a forest of Quercus pubescens and Carpinus orientalis some 3–4 km north-east of Manole village, Plovdiv district. The area occupied there is about 600–700 m². In some places the species is among the pioneer elements inhabiting recently established man-made habitats³.

Distribution in Bulgaria

Thracian Lowland (in the region of the villages Manole and Belozem, Sadovo town, Plovdiv district), Toundzha Hilly Country (between Manolovo and Skobelevo villages, Kazanlak district); 150–300 m alt. Reported for the district of Topolovgrad town but not confirmed⁴.

General distribution

Bulgaria⁵.

References

1 Stefan Stanev. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

2 Stefan Stanev. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

3 Stefan Stanev. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

4 Stefan Stanev. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

5 Stefan Stanev. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

Achillea thracica на български

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