Contribution to the Knowledge of Pontechium maculatum(Boraginaceae), a Species of High Conservation Concern in the Bulgarian Flora

Authors

  • Vladimir Vladimirov Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Botanical Garden Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  • Svetlana Bancheva Botanical Garden, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  • Daniella Ivanova Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7546/CRABS.2023.02.04

Keywords:

biological type, Echium s.l., Echium russicum, genome size, rare species, species of conservation concern

Abstract

Pontechium maculatum (Boraginaceae) is a species of high conservation concern in the Bulgarian flora. It is assigned a national IUCN category ‘Vulnerable’, legally protected according to the national Biological Diversity Act, and listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC). Recent studies in one of the largest populations in the country revealed some new data about the species which are reported here. The population studied is situated in Mt Lozenska, Mt Sredna Gora (Western) floristic region. Relevant taxonomic literature states that P. maculatum is a biennial plant, however, our observations revealed the plants in Mt Lozenska are perennial (possibly short-lived). A great variation in the corolla-colour was observed, most plants having bluish to violet corolla and only a few – reddish to dark red. This can be explained by either natural variation in the population, not reported in the taxonomic literature so far, or by hybridisation with Echium vulgare which cooccurs in the same locality. Large fluctuation in the number of flowering plants in two consecutive years was recorded, with some 180 blooming specimens in 2019 and only about 25 in 2020. Studies in the genome size of this population revealed the plants have significantly higher DNA-content (1C-value) than plants from the typical populations of the species in Northeast Bulgaria floristic region, e.g. Kabiyushka Mogila locality. Further biosystematics studies
(chromosome number, genome size, genetic studies, etc.) are currently in progress to explain the observed phenomena within the Bulgarian populations of P. maculatum. 

Author Biographies

Vladimir Vladimirov, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Botanical Garden Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mailing Adress:
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Akad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 23
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

and

Botanical Garden
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
P.O. Box 664
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: vladimir_dv@abv.bg

 

Svetlana Bancheva, Botanical Garden, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mailing Adress:
Botanical Garden,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
P.O. Box 664
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

and

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Akad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 23
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: sbancheva@yahoo.com

Daniella Ivanova, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mailing Address:
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Akad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 23
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: dani@bio.bas.bg

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Published

26-02-2023

How to Cite

[1]
V. Vladimirov, S. Bancheva, and D. Ivanova, “Contribution to the Knowledge of Pontechium maculatum(Boraginaceae), a Species of High Conservation Concern in the Bulgarian Flora”, C. R. Acad. Bulg. Sci. , vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 203–210, Feb. 2023.

Issue

Section

Biology