Pinguicula balcanica Casper

Taxonomy: Fam. Lentibulariaceae// Genus: Pinguicula// Species: Pinguicula balcanica Casper.

Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Casper in Tutin et al. (1972).

Note: the morphology of the calyx – length to width ratio of upper lip lobes and division of the lower lip are characteristics of taxonomic importance. Still, the specimens from Osogovo region show a certain variability regarding these traits even within a population. According to literature data (Casper in Tutin et al.,1972), the upper lip lobes are as long as wide and the lower lip is divided for c.1/3 of its length. In the examined specimens from Osogovo, the upper lip lobes range from ovate (as long as wide) to oblong (up to 2 times as long as wide). The lower lip is divided for c.1/3 to less than half of its length.

Lifeform: Perennial carnivorous plant overwintering as a bud. Hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiær system.

Distribution: Native from the Balkan Peninsula to Caucasus according to the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew); also native to Austria according to The Euro+Med PlantBase (Uotila, 2013+).

Habitat: Wet habitats – wet rocks, along streams in the subalpine belt. Found in the region of the springs of “Bela” River and “Durachka” River below “Carev vrv” peak at c. 1850 – 1900 m altitude.

Flowering period: Spring – early summer: MAY, JUN.

Locality: springs of “Bela” River below “Carev vrv” peak.

*Pinguicula balcanica* – habit. Osogovo – springs of “Bela” River below “Carev vrv” peak, 24.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

Locality: springs of “Durachka” River below “Carev vrv” peak.

*Pinguicula balcanica* – habit. Osogovo – springs of “Durachka” River, 09.06.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Pinguicula balcanica Casper. Plants of the World online portal, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:526420-1 [Accessed 26.05.2024].

Pinguicula balcanica. Uotila, P. (2013+): Lentibulariaceae. – In: Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published at https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/22e482c8-0676-4017-8114-16aacaf61211 [Accessed 26.05.2024].

Pinguicula L. Casper, S.J. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1964). Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiaceae to Myoporaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 294 – 296.

Last update: 09.06.2024.

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