Hladnikia-pastinacifolia_13

Description:

Hladnikia pastinacifolia Rchb., syn.: Falcaria latifolia (Bluff, Nees & Schauer) W.D.J.Koch, Falcaria pastinacifolia (Rchb.) Rchb.f.EN: Hladnikia, DE: HladnikiaFamily: Apiaceae Genus: Hladnikia Rchb.Slo.: rebrinevolistna hladnikija, hladnikovkaDat.: June 25. 2008Lat.: 45.94141 Long.: 13.87017Code: Bot_0277/2008_DSC_0703Habitat: road side; mixed forest, steep mountain slope, east aspect; calcareous ground, mostly in shade, elevation 800 m (2.600 feet); average precipitations 1.800-2.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-8 deg C, on the border between Dinaric and Sub-Mediterranean phytogeographical region.Substratum: soil. Place: roadside of the road from town Ajdovina to Predmeja village; between the first and the second road tunnel; Trnovski gozd region, Vipavsko, Slovenia EC. Comment: One has to admit that Hladnikia pastinacifolia isn't a showy plant. Its habit and flowers in umbellate clusters are superficially very similar to so many other white flowering plants of parsley family (Apiaceae). It is also not tall and never forms dense, conspicuous stands but grows scattered, either hidden among other greenery or on rather barren rocky places. It could easily be overseen or regarded as a 'weed'. Yet, botanically, it is probably the most distinguished plant of my country. Its inflorescence is pictured (apart of on post stamps) also on the Slovenian 2 coin. From European or global aspect, Hladnikia pastinacifolia is an extremely rare plant. It exclusively grows in an extremely small distribution area of the size of less than 20 x 10 km in Trnovki gozd region, on the mountains pertaining to Mt. aven, ridge. Hladnikia pastinacifolia is geologically a very old plant. Being a relict preserved from the time before the ice ages, it is one of the our rare paleoendemic species. Also, it is the only representative of the monotypic genus Hladnikia, the only plant genus restricted solely to my county's territory. Hladnikia pastinacifolia was found in nineteenth century, on Mt. aven, by the Slovene botanist, Franc Hladnik, a priest, teacher and founder of the University Botanical Garden Ljubljana (in 1810), the oldest natural history institution in the country. Protected according to: Uredba o zavarovanih prostoiveih rastlinskih vrstah, poglavje A, Uradni list RS, t. 46/2004 (Regulation of protected wild plants, chapter A, Official Gazette of Republic Slovenia, no. 46/2004), (2004). Pravilnik o uvrstitvi ogroenih rastlinskih in ivalskih vrst v rdei seznam, Uradni list RS, t. 82/2002 (Regulation of enlisting of endangered plant and animal species onto Red List, Official Gazette of Republic Slovenia, no. 82/2002) (2002). Enlisted in the Slovene Red List of rare and endangered species, marked by "R" representing a rare species.Ref.:(1) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 399. (2) Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1968). Flora Europaea 2: 1-469. Cambridge University Press.(3) luirig.altervista.org/pics/index5.php?recn=147077&page=1 (accessed Feb. 12. 2019)