Morphological characters and the range of the species Echinops banaticus Rochel (Asteraceae) in the flora of Serbia

Abstract

The species Echinops banaticus Rochel. is one of the five plant species in the genus Echinops L. which have been found to grow in Serbia. The morphological descriptions in our and in foreign floristic literature contain a number of contradictory or incomplete data, which considerably impedes the regular and correct determination and identification of this species. This paper points to the above controversial morphological characters, presents the correct description of the species and the localities where it has so far been found in Serbia, according to field research and the inspection of herbarium material By morphological studies it was found that in the flower region, as correctly reported by Javorka (1925) and Nyarady (1964), pappus scales are joined together throughout their length, and that free tufts appear only at the top The leaves are, after Nyarady (1964), more or less pinnately lobed, green on the adaxial surface, covered with thin, soft, curved, glandular hairs As the range of the species in Serbia has not been sufficiently investigated, it was stated that the species Echinops banaticus Roch. was recorded at 14 localities in Serbia. All the localities are mainly situated in east parts of Serbia, east of the river Velika Morava as far as the borders of Romania and Bulgaria.