Current state of populations and resource assessment of Alchemilla species in Western Stara Planina and Western Sredna Gora Mountains in Bulgaria
- Autores: Malina Delcheva, Ana Gavrilova, Alexander Tashev, Dimitar Dimitrov, Ina Aneva, Antonina Vitkova
- Localización: Phytologia Balcanica: International Journal of Balkan Flora and Vegetation, ISSN 1310-7771, Vol. 22, Nº. 3, 2016, págs. 341-349
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
The genus Alchemilla L. (Lady's Mantle) comprises 35 species in Bulgaria, 11 of them are Bulgarian and Balkan endemics. Herba Alchemillae is widely used in traditional and official medicine. In Bulgaria, the Alchemilla spp. are placed under a special regime of use by setting annual regional quotas according to the Bulgarian legalization. The main goal of the present study (2010–2012) was to record the distribution of Alchemilla species and determine their resources outside the protected areas in two floristic regions. Using the tracking method, 19 localities were found and studied in Western Stara Planina Mts and 12 in Mt Western Sredna Gora. The transect method was applied for resource assessment of nine economically used populations: five in the Western Stara Planina Mts and four in Mt Western Sredna Gora. Ecological characterization of the habitats, type of the plant community, and resource and operational stock of the species were established.
A significant diversity of Alchemilla species was found in the Western Stara Planina Mts (12) and less in Mt Western Sredna Gora (9). Two endangered species were detected for the first time: Alchemilla achtarowii (Bulgarian endemic) in Mt Sredna Gora and Alchemilla cathachnoa (Balkan endemic) in the Western Stara Planina Mts. It was discovered that the operating reserves of Lady's Mantle in the Western Stara Planina Mts were insignificant. A comparative analysis has shown that resources in the Mt Western Sredna Gora (around Koprivshtitsa village) are considerably larger and can be used for commercial purposes.
