Professional paper
Sanja Vidović
; Muzej Slavonije Osijek
Abstract
Many vegetable and animal species disappeared in geological history. The causes of extinction were natural, gradual and almost unperceivable, without any consequences onto the balance among living things and environment. In today's world, development of mankind caused strong and rapid changes in nature which directly or indirectly endanger not only the survival of some vegetable and animal species, but the environment as well, and even the humans.
Recent flora in Croatia has gone through Tertiar, Pleistocene and Holocene phase, and thus consists of the range of very old Tertiary relicts, younger glacial relicts, numerous post-glacial forms, a number of en-dems, and newcomers spread by mankind. According to the research so far, flora in Croatia has about 4500 varieties. 226 varieties can be found in the Red book of vegetable sorts in the Republic of Croatia, while the Law on nature protection protects 44 varieties. Vegetation has some 300 vegetable communities, with very significant ones that are dependent on natural ecological factors and develop on primary biotops, forming potential vegetation. In regard of flora ende-macy, there are 300 endems in Croatian flora. The greatest extent of endems and rare species are situated in two very rich areas: mountains Velebit and Biokovo, as well as some Adriatic islands. Regardless the number and concentration of the important varieties, there is no such area in Croatia where a certain number of varieties does not distinguish with its value. It means that any intervention in any part of Croatia endangers rare vegetable varieties and threatens them. That is why as many as possible habitat types should be preserved for communication, so that the isolation of biotype and extinction of many species can be avoided, and thus biological differences could be reduced.
In Herbarium collection of the natural sciences department in the Museum of Slavonia, according to the facts in the Red book of vegetable sorts in the Republic of Croatia, there are 34 species in one of the three groups of endangered species in Croatia. In this work we gave their review according to family belonging, life from, flora element, habitat and extent of being en-
dangered. In Herbarium collection the most represented vegetable species according to the extent of being endangered are sensitive, vulnerable ones (V)-14 species, then endangered sorts in danger of extinction. (E) - 13 species and rare sorts (R) - 7 species.
The following species have been analyzed: sensitive - Taxus baccata L., Helleborus niger L. var. ma-cranthus (Freyn) Schiffner; H. atrorubens W.K., Daphne mezereum L., Cyclamen purpurascens Mill., Physalis alkekengi L., Phlomis fructiosa L., Gentiana asclepiadea L., Erythronium dens-canis L., Ruscus hypoglassum L., Leucojum vernum L., Orchis morio L., O. coriophora L., O. laxiflora Lam.; endangered -Trollius europeaeus L., Pulsatilla nigricans Storcke, Ilex aquifolium L., Scopolia carniolica Jacq., Vinca minor L., Leontopodium alpinum Cass. var. krasense Derg., Arnica montana L., Butomus umbellatus L., Lilium martagón L., Fritillaria meleagris L., Iris sibi-rica L., Cephalanthera longifolia (L.) Fritisch, Calla palustris L. and rare - Drosera rotundifolia L., Linum capitatum Kit. ex Schultes, Moltkea petrea (Tratt.) Gris., Menyanthes trifoliata L., Achillea clavenae L., Centaurea ragusina L., Iris variegata L. Life forms of plants represent adjustment of vegetable species to ecological conditions of a certain area regarding their way of survival in unfavourable period of a year, the most numerous group of plants, concerning the belonging to life form, are 13 species of geophytes and 12 species of hemicryptophytes. Among sensitive, endangered and rare plants preserved in the Museum of Slavonia are mostly those of South-European flora elements - 6 species, of European - 6 species and of Euro-Asian - 6 species. Among analyzed group of plants are four endemic ones (Helleborus atrorubens W.K., Moltkea petraea (Tratt.) Gris., Leontopodium alpinum Cass. var. krasense Derg., Centaurea ragusina L.) and one relict species (Drosera rotundifolia L.).
According to flora and vegetation research and cartography in area of entire Croatia, arose a need for drawing attention to sensitive, endangered and rare species and their habitat.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
165081
URI
Publication date:
5.12.2001.
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