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Daphne blagayana

Balkan Daphne

Pictures of Daphne blagayana (Balkan Daphne)

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Common names

Balkan Daphne.

Scientific name

Daphne blagayana Freyer.

Conservation status and threats

PROTECTED species in Bulgaria.

The species is listed in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria to the category "Endangered"¹.

Description and identification

Daphne blagayana is an evergreen shrub, the stems up to 30 cm long, recumbent, slightly branched, with dark brown bark; twigs rounded, ascending, scattered pubescent, dark brown. Leaves located at the top of the shoots, 25-60 mm long and 10-12 mm wide, spatulate, obovate, entire or slightly incised, with a sharp tip in the cutting, obtuse, gradually narrowed at the base, sessile, bright gray-green to dark green, glabrous, leather. Flowers regular, sessile, 10-15 in apical glabrous inflorescences on shoots, almost equal to the surrounding apical leaves, fragrant, with bracts, which are 10-15 mm long and 3-4 mm wide, oblong-oblong lanceolate, glabrous above, densely pubescent below. Hypanthium 10-12 mm long and 1-3 mm wide, tubular, slightly broad at the base, silky pubescent, creamy whitish, remaining until the fruit ripens. Calyx lobes 6 mm long, broadly triangular, obtuse at the apex, more or less silky pubescent, creamy whitish. The ovary is hairy; the column is short. The fruit is ovoid, pointed, glabrous, whitish, released from hypanthium when ripe; pericarp fleshy. Blooms April-June².

Distribution in Bulgaria

Middle Stara Planina³.

General distribution

Central and Southeastern (Balkan Peninsula) Europe⁴.

References

[1] Dessislava Dimitrova. 2015. In: Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Volume 1 - Plants & Fungi.

[2] Маркова, М. & Ж. Чернева. 1979. В: Флора на Народна Република България , том VII, издателство на БАН.

[3] Маркова, М. & Ж. Чернева. Пос. източник.

[4] Маркова, М. & Ж. Чернева. Пос. източник.

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