Balkan Endemics Research Articles

Variety of Medicinal Plants in a Cultigenic Ecosystem

ABSTRACTAs a result of plant diversity investigation in the “Metropolit Metodi Kusev “Forest Park cultigenic system and concurrent application of Regulation Acts of Bulgarian and international legislation, 239 species of medicinal plants are established. They are distributed in categories with respect to accessibility to usage, preservation conditions and their economic importance. 9 species with Nature preservation status, 2 Balkan endemics and 9 Tertiary relicts are registered. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the populations of these with greater significance is made.

Karyomorphology and systematics of the eastern taxa of Genista sect. Spartioides and G. pulchella (Genisteae-Fabaceae).

A karyological analysis of some taxa of Genista sect. Spartioides, distributed in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region, was carried out. The three subspecies of Genista pulchella: ssp. pulchella (western Balkan Peninsula), ssp. aquilana (central Apennines) and ssp. villarsiana (southern France) all present the chromosome number 2n = 18 + (0 - 4B). The taxa of G. albida aggr., G. albida (eastern Mediterranean) and G. involucrata (Ana- tolian), both have 2n = 18 + (0 - 2B); 2n = 36 + (0 - 3B) being rarely found in the latter species. As regards the taxa endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, G. halacsyi and G. subcapitata show 2n = 18 + (0 - 2B), G. sakellariadis and G. millii 2n = 36 + 2B. All these numbers may be traced back to the basic number x = 9. G. pulchella has the most symmetric karyotype, while G. albida and G. involucrata result more asymmetric; the four Balkan endemics (G. halacsyi, G. sakellariadis, G. subcapitata and G. millii) present the highest grade of asymmetry. A comparison with karyological data already available for all the taxa of sect. Spartioides was also made.

CONSERVATION, PROPAGATION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF THE NATIVE GREEK FLORA TOWARDS COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE

CONSERVATION, PROPAGATION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF THE NATIVE GREEK FLORA TOWARDS COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE

PHYTOGEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF MT PARNITHA (ATTICA, GREECE)

AbstractMt Parnitha is located in Sterea Ellas (Central Greece) and is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Athens. Its wild vascular flora comprises 1096 taxa belonging to 90 families, of which 122 taxa and four families are reported here for the first time. The endemic element comprises 92 Greek, 42 Balkan and 18 Italian–Balkan–Anatolian taxa. Four Greek and three Balkan endemics are new records for the mountain. The predominance of the Mediterranean element (63.6%) and the therophytes (37.6%) underlines the Mediterranean character of the mountain's flora. The endemic elements of Mt Parnitha are presented, their protection status is mentioned and the phytogeographical affinity with neighbouring mountains is examined. Three vegetation zones and 17 habitat types within them have been identified, and those facing threats are indicated. Although the mountain is a National Park, several factors influence its flora and vegetation, the most important being its proximity to Athens.

A new diploid species of Hieracium sect. Pannosa (Asteraceae) from Bulgaria

Hieracium petrovae Vladimirov & Szeląg sp. nov., a new diploid (2n = 18) species in H. sect. Pannosa Zahn, is described and illustrated from the Rhodope Mountains, South Bulgaria, and compared with related taxa. It grows in relict habitats in crevices of limestone rock together with many Balkan endemics. H. petrovae is morphologically similar to taxa from the H. pannosum, H. pilosissimum and H. heldreichii groups (collective species sensu Zahn) to some of which it is a presumed ancestral species.

Diversity of wetland vegetation in the Bulgarian high mountains, main gradients and context-dependence of the pH role

We fill a gap in understanding wetland vegetation diversity and relationship with environmental determinants in Bulgarian high mountains. A total of 615 phytosociological samples were taken from springs, mires, wet meadows and tall-forb habitats throughout Bulgaria, of which 234 releves are from mire and spring vegetation above timberline. The vegetation was classified by TWINSPAN and the resulting vegetation types were reproduced by the formal definitions using the combination of Cocktail species groups based on phi-coefficient of joint co-occurrence of the species. Nine vegetation types of springs and fens have been clearly delimited above the timberline. All vegetation types include Balkan endemic species, the representation of which varies. Fens generally harbour more Balkan endemics than do springs, with the exception of species-poor high-altitude Drepanocladetum exannulati. The gradient structure of the vegetation was revealed by DCA and by CCA with forward selection of environmental factors. The major determinants of vegetation variation strongly differ above and below the timberline and likewise between springs and fens. The base-richness gradient controls the floristic variation of Bulgarian submontane fens, whereas the complete data set including both submontane and subalpine fens is governed by the altitude gradient from lowland and basin fens to subalpine fens rich in Balkan endemics. When focusing on sites above the timberline only, the first DCA axis separates fens from springs without organic matter. The major species turnover in springs follows the variation in water pH and mineral content in water, whereas fen vegetation variation is primarily controlled by succession gradient of peat accumulation. Altitude remains an important factor in all cases. Weak correlation between water pH and conductivity was found. This correlation was even statistically insignificant in fens above the timberline. Water pH is not influenced by mineral richness in Bulgarian high mountains, since it is buffered by decomposition of organic matter in fens. In springs, pH reaches maximum values due to strong aeration caused by water flow. The plant species richness decreases significantly with increasing altitude. The increase of species richness towards circumneutral pH, often found in mires, was not confirmed in Bulgarian high mountains. The correlation between species richness and pH was significant only when arctic-alpine species and allied European high-mountain species were considered separately. The richness of boreal species was independent on pH. Some of them had their optima shifted to more acidic fens as compared to regions below the timberline. Our results suggest that subalpine spring and fen vegetation should be analysed separately with respect to vegetation-environment correlations. Separate analysis of fens below and above timberline is quite appropriate.

Distribution of the endemic Balkan flora on serpentine I. ? obligate serpentine endemics

Serpentine (ophiolithic) substrate covers large areas in the Balkans, more so than in any other part of Europe. These areas extend from north to south mainly in the mountainous central regions and represent specialized habitats for basiphilous-calcifugal plants. Biodiversity in the area is high, with a great number of interesting local and regional endemics. The high number of endemics indicates the importance of serpentine habitats as centres for floristic differentiation and speciation. The number of Balkan endemics growing on serpentine is c. 335 taxa (species and subspecies) of which 123 are obligate. Their distribution is presented in 50 × 50 km UTM squares as adopted in the Atlas Florae Europaeae project coordinated at Helsinki. The richest (in number of taxa) squares are situated in NW Greece (Epirus), the island of Evvia, N Albania together with SW Serbia, and N Greece (Vourinos). They indicate important centres of plant diversity in the Balkans, areas to be noted for conservation strategy. Features responsible for the distribution and abundance of these obligate serpentine endemics include: 1) edaphic isolation in relation to type of bedrock (lime, dolomite, marble, schist, etc.), 2) mountain island isolation (Smolikas, Vourinos, Ostrovica, etc.), 3) island isolation (Evvia) and 4) continuous long-term isolation without interruption or disturbance of speciation.

Vergleich zwischen Fleischfliegen-Taxozönosen der griechisch-ägäischen und -ionischen Küste, der dalmatinischen Adria-Küste, der spanisch-katalonischen Küste und jeweils anschließender Binnenland-Gebiete (Diptera: Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaginae)

The taxocoenoses (associations) of (hilltopping) fleshflies visiting organic substrates, mainly offal etc of the Greek Aegean and lonian Seacoast, of the Adriatic Seacoast and of the Spanish Catalonia Seacoast including the adjacent habitats, mainly mountain ranges, are compared. The long-term study basing on the statistic evaluation of several thousand specimens representing about 60 taxa indicates that the fleshfly taxocoenoses of the 2 secondary distributional centers of the Holomediterranean territory, viz the E' or Pontomediterranean and the W' or Atlantomediterranean show distinct both synecological and distributional differences. They are reflected in the relative population densities and in the species spectres of these two areas. Following fleshfly taxa are characteristic of the two centers: Salemea ferox, Thyrsocnema belgiana, Liopygia cultellata, Heteronychia siciliana and Heteronychia pandellei are characteristic of of the west, and Heteronychia gigas, Heteronychia vervesi, Heteronychia macedonica, H portschinskyana, H maritima and H kataphygionis of the east. The W' mediterranean species are not strietly Iberian endemics. secause the interior, purely Iberian fleshfly fauna is poorly known and the discovery of endemic Iberian taxa might be expected. This situation contrasts with the comparatively well known fleshfly taxocoenoses comprising such purely Balkan maritime endemics as Heteronychia gigas, H maritima, H kataphygionis. The more widely distributed Greek continental species, however, such as Heteronychia vervest and H macedonica, possibly also occur in Asia Minor. Helicophagoides pagensis believed to be a rare adriatic endemic was discovered also in the maritime habitats of Greece and France, and it seems to show a bolomediterranean distribution pattern (approximately similar to the purely holomediterranean Heteronychia penicillata) The synanthropic fleshflies tending towards cosmopolitanism in the subtropical and tropical zones of Africa, Asia and parlly Australia (especially Liorarcophaga dux, L aegyptica, L portshinskyi and Parasarcophaga hirtipes), and showing importance in hygiene and epidemiology, are either absent from or rate in the W' Mediterranean, possibly because the maritime atlantomediterranean habitats are more humid than their counterparts in the E' Mediterranean The high population densities of such culturophiles or synanthropes as Pierretia nigriventris, Bercaea cruentata, Liopygia crassipalpis, L argyrostoma, Ravinia pernix etc reflect the general environmental disintegration (due to general problems of hygiene, tourism and other impacts by modern civilization), although the higher living standard and level of hygiene in the Catalonian habitats reflect in distictly lower population densities of strictly synanthropic fleshflies. It shows that the species of Sarcophaginae and especially their samples from the male hilltopping aggregations are a very useful insect model group for both synecological and biogeographical studies.

Polyphenols in Stachys and Betonica Species (Lamiaceae)

Abstract Above-ground parts and roots from four Stachys species (S. germanica L., S. sylvatica L. and the Balkan endemics S. thracica Dav. and S. plumosa Griseb.) as well as o f three Betonica species (B. officinalis L. and the Balkan endemics B. bulgarica Deg. et Neic. and B. scardica Griseb.) were screened for phenols (phenylethanoid glycosides, flavonoid glycosides and the phenolic diterpene betolide). Three phenylethanoid glycosides, a flavonoid glycoside and the phenolic diterpene betolide were isolated and identified, most of them for the first time in the investigated species. The results obtained support the view that Stachys and Betonica are well separated genera.

Additions to the flora of Mount Vermion (N Central Greece)

Chochliouros, S. & Georgiadis, Th.: Additions to the flora of Mount Vermion (N Central Greece). − Willdenowia 27: 101−112. 1997. − ISSN 0511−9618. The number of vascular plants known from Mt Vermion equals 1035 taxa, of which 243 are added with the present paper as a result of field studies in 1994 and 1995. 884 taxa have a wider geographical distribution, 117 are Balkan endemics (18 are new records) and 34 are Greek endemics (8 are new records). Taraxacum dialeptum, T. terenodes, T. viale, T. gracilens, and Sesleria albicans subsp. angustifolia, endemics to the Balkans and Greece respectively, are also new records for N Central Greece.

Indoid Glucosides from Four Balkan Endemics of the Galium incurvum Group (Rubiaceae)

Abstract The Balkan endemics G. mirum, Galium macedonicum, G. rhodopeum and G. aegeum, from the G. incurvum group, were screened for iridoid glucosides. Eleven known iridoid glucosides were isolated, identified and analysed for the first time in the investigated plants. The main components appeared to be asperuloside and/or the non-acetylated iridoid acids -deacetylasperulosidic acid, scandoside, monotropein. Phylogenetic relationships are discussed.

Floristic and phytogeographical research on the upper montane and the subalpine grassland flora of East Macedonia, Greece

AbstractThe vascular flora of subalpine and upper montane grasslands of Mts Menikion, Pangeon, Falakron, Orvilos in E Macedonia was investigated. A list of 547 taxa, which are classified to 59 families, 225 genera, 401 species and 146 subspecies, is presented. The majority of the taxa are hemicryptophytes (66.4%). The chamarphytes are also highly represented (16%), though to a much lesser extent. On the basis of duration of life, perennial herbs predominate. As far as it concerns the chorological distribution of the taxa, a remarkable dominance of the “northern”‐in a wide sense‐with an abundance of Balkan endemics is observed.