New localities of endemic Aquilegia kitaibelii Schott and Cardaminopsis croatica (Schott, Nyman et Kotschy) Jáv. in Croatia

Abstract

New localities of two endemic, rare and floristically interesting species in the north-western Dinaric Mountains in Croatia are reported in the paper. Both species are statutorily strictly protected species in Croatia. Aquilegia kitaibelii Schott, as a rare, endemic species, is included in Appendix II of the Habitats Directive (NATURA 2000 Species) and in the IUCN list as a data deficient (DD) species. New localities of A. kitaibelii were found on Mt Obruč and the central and south sections of Mt Velebit, while new localities of Cardaminopsis croatica (Schott, Nyman et Kotschy) Jáv. were discovered on hills in the Gacka Region and the central section of Mt Velebit. In general, both species grow mainly from fissures on rocks together with other petrophilous plant species. It was also noted that A. kitaibelii grows on screes. In Gacka Region C. croatica grows in thermophilous habitats, that is, on rocks with different exposures, together with thermophilous sub-Mediterranean species and with some mountain species of common beech and silver fir forests. In the central section of Mt Velebit, C. croatica also grows in a thermophilous community of forest rocks as well as in anthropogenic habitats, like the edges of gravel roads. These observations suggest the ecological adaptability of this endemic species. žena su na širem području planinske skupine planine Obruč te na srednjem i južnom Velebitu, dok su novi lokaliteti hrvatske gušarke (Cardaminopsis croatica (Schott, Nyman et Kotschy) Jáv.) utvrđeni na području srednjeg Velebita i na padinama brežuljaka regije Gacke. Obje vrste na većini novih nalazišta rastu u pukotinama stijena zajedno s drugim petrofilnim vrstama, a Kitaibelov pakujac zabilježili smo i na točilima. Za hrvatsku gušarku posebno su zanimljiva nalazišta u regiji Gackoj, gdje raste na termofilnim stijenama različitih ekspozicija, u okruženju mješavine termofilnih submediteranskih vrsta i nekih brdskih vrsta bukovo-jelovih šuma. Uz Premužićevu stazu na srednjem Velebitu C. croatica se također pojavljuje u termofilnim zajednicama šumskih stijena. Opaženo je i da, osim stijena, hrvatska gušarka nastanjuje i sekundarna, antropogena staništa, kao što su rubovi šumskih cesta, što ukazuje na ekološku plastičnost ove endemične vrste.