Edelweiss

Edelweiss (Latin: Leontopodium alpinum Cass., Romanian: Floarea reginei or Floarea de colţ), is one of the best-known European mountain flowers, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The name comes from German edel (meaning noble) and weiss (meaning white). The scientific name, Leontopodium, means "lion's paw" and is derived from the Greek words leon (lion) and podion (diminutive of pous, foot).

Leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs and appear woolly (tomentose). Flowering stalks of Edelweiss can grow to a size of 3–20 cm (in cultivation, up to 40 cm). Each bloom consisting of five to six small yellow flower heads (5 mm) surrounded by leaflets in star form. The flowers are in bloom between July and September. The plant is unequally distributed and prefers rocky limestone places at 2000–2900 m altitude. Since it usually grows in inaccessible places, it is associated in many countries of the alpine region with mountaineering. Its white colour is considered a symbol of purity, and holds a Latin as well as Romanian name, floarea reginei (Queen's flower).

Edelweiss is a protected plant in many countries, including Romania (since 1933). It appears on the Romanian 50 Lei banknote. In Romania, floarea de colţ grows in Maramureşului and Rodnei Mountains, Obcinele Bucovinei, Rarău, Ceahlău, Ciucaş, Bucegi, Făgăraş, Cozia şi Retezat Mountains.

From Wikipedia.

Piatra Craiului National Park

Piatra Craiului (Rock of the King) Massif was declared as natural reserve on 28 of March 1938 (Official Journal no. 645). The Ministry Council took this decision "due to the unique character of the massif, where rare species like: Dianthus callizonus, Hesperis nivea, Minuartia transilvanica, Leontopodium alpinum are living, and also because of landscape beauty".

In 1938, when the natural reserve was set up, it was only on 440 ha. This surface increased in 1972, at 900 ha, nowadays the special conservation area (core area) covers 4879ha, and the buffer zone stretches on 9894 ha. In 1952(the year when the first forest management plan was set up in the Piatra Craiului area) around 17.2% from the entire massif surface was designated for conservation purposes. In 1990 Piatra Craiului is declared national park trough Ministry of Agriculture Order no 7 along with other 12 national and natural parks in Romania.

The entire Piatra Craiului National Park (PCNP) is located in the Meridional Carpathians, and it also includes parts of the neighboring mountain passes Rucăr-Bran and Rucăr-Zărneşti. The Piatra Craiului National Park stretches over the counties of Braşov and Argeş, including areas belonging to the towns of Zărneşti, Moeciu (Măgura and Peştera villages), Bran, Rucăr and Dâmbovicioara. The PCNP area is located between the coordinates of 450 22’ 1.73" and 450 34’ 49.55" North latitude and 250 08’ 51.61" and 250 21’ 57.21" East longitude. The entire park area is 14773 ha, 7806 ha being located in the Braşov County and 6967 ha in the Argeş County.

The Piatra Craiului mountains form a narrow and saw-like ridge, which is about 25 km long. The highest elevation in the massif is the "La Om" Peak with 2238 m. The ridge is regarded as one of the most beautiful sights in the Carpathians. The two-day north–south ridge trail is both challenging and rewarding. Starting at either Plaiul Foii in the north-west or Curmătura in the north-east, walkers climb up to the ridge before following a somewhat precarious path along the narrow spine. The descent at the southern end leads into a karst landscape of deep gorges and pitted slopes where water penetrating the rock has carved a series of caves.

In the national park area about 300 fungi species, 220 lichen species, 100 different mosses, 1170 species of superior plants (a third of the number of all plant species found in Romania), 50 Carpathians endemic species and also two endemic species for Piatra Craiului can be found. There are also 2 endemic species of spiders, 270 butterflies species, amphibians and reptiles, 111 birds species (50 listed in the Bern Convention and 6 in the Bonn Convention), 17 bats species, chamois and other large herbivores and also many large carnivores (wolves, brown bears, lynx) living in the national park.

Infos and photos from Parcul Naţional Piatra Craiului and Wikipedia.

Living National Treasures

Endemic snails known solely from Romania include:

Cochlodina marisi (Pfeiffer, 1868)
Clausiliidae - Gastropoda
Shell horny yellowish to horny brown, thin, almost smooth, very shiny, 11-12 whorls, cerxix rounded, cervical callus strong and reddish yellow, apertural margin connected at parietal side but not detached, white, parietalis oblique and reaching margin, columellaris moderate, 3-4 palatal folds.
Size: 14-19 x 3-4.2 mm
Distribution: SW Romania

Alopia (Kimakowiczia) maciana (Bădărău & Szekeres, 2001)
Clausiliidae - Gastropoda
Shell dark brown with violet hue, ribbed, 8-10 moderately convex whorls with white suture, cervix rounded, aperture detached, margin broad and light yellowish, parietalis weak, reaching short spiralis inside, columellaris strong, principalis very short, upper palatalis weak and very short if present at all, no lunula, sometimes a very weak basalis, subcolumellaris not visible in a perpendicular view.
Size: 13.8-17.1 x 3.4-3.8 mm
Distribution: Cluj County, Gilău-Muntele Mare Mountains, only known from one locality.

Mastus venerabilis (Pfeiffer, 1853)
Enidae - Gastropoda
Shell sinistral, olive horny brown, first 5 whorls 1/4 of shell height, last whorl 1/3 of shell height, angular tooth present.
Size: 17-22 x 7-9 mm
Distribution: S Carpathians, Transylvania

Source: AnimalBase
Photos: F. Welter Schultes

Centaurea pugioniformis

Centaurea pugioniformis is a plant that can be found only in Romania, is endemic in several areas of the country. Centaurea is a genus of at least some 500 to 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Common names for this genus are starthistles, knapweeds, centaureas and the more ambiguous "bluets". "Cornflowers" is used for a few species, including Centaurea pugioniformis.



Images from My Nature
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Spermatophyta
Class: Dicotyledones
Division: Magnoliophyta Magnoliophytina
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Centaurea
Species: pugioniformis
Scientific name: Centaurea pugioniformis E.I.Nyarady

Isophya dobrogensis

Another unique, protected species specific to Romania is a sort of locust, grig. Isophya dobrogensis is endemic and can be found only on Popina Island, Razelm-Sinoe Lagoon Complex, Dobruja, Southeastern Romania. The island spans 98 hectares and it is a protected reserve.


Image from My Nature
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia - animals
Phylum: Arthropoda - Arthropods
Class: Insecta - Insects
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Tettigonioidea
Genus: Isophya
Specific name: dobrogensis - Kis 1994
Scientific name: - Isophya dobrogensis Kis 1994

The species was described in 1960 by Kis Béla (1924-2003).

Sophrochaeta reitteri retezati

Sophrochaeta reitteri retezati (Mallász, 1928) is an unique round fungus beetle, rare and endemic, that lives in some caves in Southwestern Romania (Banat).

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Staphyliniformia
Superfamily: Staphylinoidea
Family: Leiodidae
Subfamily: Cholevinae
Tribe: Leptodirini
Subtribe: Pholeuina
Genus: Sophrochaeta
Subgenus: Cernella
Species: reitteri
Subspecies: retezati

Sophrochaeta Reitter 1885 [genus]
Cernella Jeannel 1930 [subgenus]

Accepted name: Sophrochaeta (Cernella) reitteri retezati Mallász 1928


Image from Biodiversity Heritage Library

The rarest European fish

Romanichthys valsanicola is the scientific name of the fish known as the sculpin-perch, asprete, or Romanian darter, the only member of the Romanichthys genus of the fish family Percidae.


It was scientifically discovered and described in 1957 by the Romanian scientists M. Dumitrescu, P. Bănărescu and N. Stoica. Local names include: asprete, poprete, sforete. Endemic to a very restricted area in southern Romania, it was found in the upper reach of the Argeş river and in two of its tributaries: Râul Doamnei and Vâlsan. Due to hydrotechnical constructions and deterioration of its habitat, it survived only in the tributary Vâlsan. This species is an endangered freshwater fish and is found on the Red List of IUCN. Its area of distribution has drastically diminished and is now considered the European fish genus with the most restricted area.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Romanichthys
Species: R. valsanicola
Binomial name: Romanichthys valsanicola (Dumitrescu, Bănărescu & Stoica, 1957)

It is a small, grey-brownish fish, 10-12 cm long, covered with small, rough scales. Found in cold, clear, fast-flowing waters, hidden under rocks. Territorial. The time of reproduction is in May and June. It lays eggs on rocks. It feeds on insect aquatic larvae, mainly Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera. (From Wikipedia)

Knipowitschia cameliae

Knipowitschia cameliae (Nalbant & Oţel, 1995) is an endemic marine fish, very rare, known only from the Danube Delta in the Black Sea.


Domain: Eukaryota - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animalia - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
Subkingdom: Bilateria - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
Branch: Deuterostomia - Grobben, 1908
Infrakingdom: Chordonia - (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
Phylum: Chordata - Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
Subphylum: Vertebrata - Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata - Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Huxley, 1880 - Bony Fishes
Class: Actinopterygii - Huxley, 1880 - Ray-Finned Fishes
Subclass: Actinopterygii - Ray-Finned Fishes
Infraclass: Actinopteri
Cohort: Clupeocephala
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Gobioidei
Family: Gobiidae - Gobies
Genus: Knipowitschia - Iljin, 1927
Specific name: cameliae - Nalbant & Otel, 1995
Scientific name: - Knipowitschia cameliae Nalbant & Oţel, 1995

Etymology of Generic name: Because of N.M. Knipowitsch, a zoologist and Russian ichthyologist from the Academy of Sciences, who initiated expeditions in "Pomor" and "Pervosvanniy" ships to Azov and Black sea (1898-1908).

Max length : 3.1 cm (female)
Environment: demersal; brackish; marine
Climate / Range: Temperate
Vulnerability: Low vulnerability (10 of 100)
Distribution: Europe: Black Sea (Romania). Known from a single small lagoon near Portiţa, south of Danube Delta in the Goloviţa-Sinoe-Razelm lake complex.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 15)

Colilia Porţilor de Fier (Stipa danubialis), is a Tertiary relict described for the first time in 1969 and found only at Cracul Găioara, a place in Banat, Southwestern Romania.

Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Liliopsida
Cyperales
Poaceae
Stipa
Stipa danubialis (Dihoru & Roman)


Image from MyNature
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 80–90 cm long; 5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; retrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3.5–7 mm long. Leaf-blades 2.3–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 9–12 fertile spikelets. Panicle open; 9–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 48–57 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 48–57 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 23–25 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 286–363 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb plumose; with 5 mm long hairs. Middle segment of lemma awn 6–20 mm long; ciliate. Column of lemma awn 40–48 mm long; pubescent; with 2 mm long hairs. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

(From Kew Gardens)

Unique plants from Romania (Part 14)

Salvia transsylvanica (Schur, 1853)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species: S. transsylvanica
Binomial name: Salvia transsylvanica


Image from Annie's annuals and perennials
Salvia transsylvanica is a herbaceous perennial native to a wide area from north and central Russia to Romania, with a subspecies specific to Romania. It was described and named in 1853 by botanist Philipp Johann Ferdinand Schur, with the specific epithet referring to the Transylvanian Alps located in central Romania. It was introduced into horticulture in the 1980s.

Salvia transsylvanica puts out several lax 0.6 m stems from a basal clump of leaves. The leaves that grow on the stem vary in size—being larger at the bottom—with the upper side being dark yellow-green and the underside pale with yellow veins. The leaves are very scalloped around the edges. The flowers are slightly longer than 1.3 cm, and have a rich violet color, growing in loose whorls that are about 1.3 cm apart. Many flowers bloom at once, giving the plant a very colorful and striking appearance. (From Wikipedia)

Unique plants from Romania (Part 13)

Iarba roşioară (Reddish herb, Silene dinarica Spreng., 1825). This pretty species grow at alpine level of Romania, in Făgăraş Mountains. It is endemic to Romania, a rare and vulnerable species, with nice dense cushions, creeping green leaves, purple flowers.

Spermatophyta
Angiospermae
Dicotyledoneae
Monochlamydeae
Centrospermae
Caryophyllaceae
Silenoidea
Silene
Silene dinarica Sprengel, 1825


Image from Alpine Seeds

Unique plants from Romania (Part 12)

Lychnis nivalis is an endemic species, unique in the world, that grows only in Romania, in Rodna Mountains, at higher altitude, near the peak of Pietrosul Rodnei and Iezer Lake.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledonatae)
Order: Charyophylales
Family: Charyophylaceae
Genus: Lychnis
Species: L. nivalis


From TrekNature

Common names include campion (shared with Silene) and catchfly, the latter name based on the sticky stems. In Romanian is named guşa porumbelului, opaiţ, opaiţul Muntilor Rodnei.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 11)

Hesperis oblongifolia (Schur. 1866) is a very rare and very vulnerable species that grows in only two places in Romanian Eastern Carpathians Mountains.

Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Euphyllophytina
Infraphylum: Radiatopses
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Superorder: Violanae
Order: Capparales
Suborder: Capparineae
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Hesperis
Specific epithet: oblongifolia - Schur
Botanical name: Hesperis oblongifolia Schur


Image from MyNature
Perennial herb. Trichomes unicellular, stems erect, basal leaves petiolate. Sepals oblong, erect, base of lateral pair strongly saccate . Petals purple, much longer than sepals; blade oblong, apex rounded, claw strongly differentiated. Stamens 6, strongly tetradynamous; anthers oblong, obtuse at apex. Nectar glands 2, lateral, ringlike; median glands absent. Ovules 4-40 per ovary. Fruit tardily dehiscent siliques, linear, terete , 4-angled, or slightly latiseptate, sessile; valves with a prominent midvein, torulose; replum rounded; septum complete, membranous; style obsolete; stigma conical, 2-lobed, lobes prominent, connivent, decurrent. Seeds uniseriate, wingless, oblong, plump; seed coat reticulate , not mucilaginous when wetted; cotyledons incumbent.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 10)

The mountain yellow poppy (Papaver alpinum ssp. corona-sancti-stephani)

Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliopsida
Papaverales
Papaveraceae
Papaver
Synonims: Papaver alpinum, Papaver alpinum corona-sancti-stephani, Papaver alpinum degenii, Papaver alpinum ernesti-mayeri, Papaver alpinum kerneri, Papaver alpinum rhaeticum, Papaver alpinum sendtneri, Papaver alpinum tatricum.


Image from MyNature
Is a rare, vulnerable, endemic Romanian species of poppy (mountain yellow poppy) that grows only in Carpathian Mountains, on the highest peaks. Is a perennial plant, with flat leaves and bright yellow radial flowers.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 9)

Mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium transsylvanicum (Schur ex Griseb & Schenk)

Family: caryophyllaceae
Subfamily: alsinoideae
Tribe: alsinae
Linnaeus-based family name: caryophyllaceae


Image from Botany Pictures
The species is native from Carpathian Mountains, endemic, rare and vulnerable. Grows in Southern and Eastern Carpathians, flowers in May,5-10 cm tall, silver-white flowers forming a perennial carpet on the ground. White flowers. Likes the best soil and a sunny area.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 8)

Astragalus is a large genus of about 2,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milk-vetch (most species), locoweed (in western US, some species) and goat's-thorn (A. gummifer, A. tragacanthus). Some pale-flowered vetches are similar in appearance, but vetches are more vine-like. Cosaciul bistriţean (milk vetch), (Astragalus Röemeri) is a species specific to Romania.

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus:Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales
Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Galegeae
Genus: Astragalus
Species: Astragalus roemeri Simonk.

Astragalus Röemeri is a species threatened at global level, very vulnerable, endemic to Romania, that grows on very small areas and with reduced population in Apuseni Mountains and in Eastern Carpathians.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 7)

Draba is a large genus of cruciferous plants, commonly known as Whitlow-grasses. There are over 300 species. Flămânzica or drobiţa lui Dorner, Draba dorneri Heuff., is the first discovered Romanian endemic plant (Heuffel, 1858). Alpine–subalpine species, Draba dorneri is a glacial relict.

Spermatophyta
Angiospermae
Dicotyledoneae
Dialypetale
Roeadales
Cruciferae
Genus: Draba
Species: Draba dorneri


The plant is 3-15 cm high, almost woody at base, with branches finished in rosettes of leaves. The strain is unfolied or very rarely with 1-2 twigs without leaves. The leaves are oblong, attenuated to base, acute, entire or with 1-2 "teeth" at peak. Flowers are small, white. The fruit is elliptical, rounded at both ends, 4.5-6.7 mm long, 2-3 mm wide. The plant is near extincted, strictly protected (Council of Europe 1979) and grows in a small area (400 sqm!) in Retezat Mountains National Park.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 6)

Delphinium simonkaianum (Romanian: Nemţişorul Trascăului, English: Trascău Larkspur)

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Delphinium
Species: Delphinium simonkaianum, Pawl., 1934
Synonims: Delphinium pyramidatum


Image from MyNature
Nemţişorul Trascăului is a rare, endemic plant, seen in Trascăului Mountains, (Alba County, Cluj County), but also in some restricted areas in Eastern and Meridional Carpathians. Delphinium simonkaianum is strictly protected.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 5)

Campanula romanica (Romanian: Clopoţelul Dobrogean, English: Dobruja Bellflower)

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus:Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Euasterids II
Ordo: Asterales
Familia: Campanulaceae
Subfamilia: Campanuloideae
Genus: Campanula
Species: Campanula romanica
Name: Campanula romanica Savul.


Image from TrekNature
Is an endemic, unique species of bellflower that grows only in Romania. Campanula romanica is listed in IUCN red list of threatened plants as "vulnerable".

Unique plants from Romania (Part 1)

Blue Jewel Hepatica (Hepatica transsilvanica)
Hepatica is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. A native of central and northern Europe, Asia and northeastern North America, Hepatica is sometimes called liverleaf or liverwort. It should not be confused with liverworts, which may also be called "Hepaticae". Some botanists include Hepatica within a wider interpretation of Anemone. Hepatica nobilis is the common Hepatica, but Hepatica transsilvanica can be found only in Romania (in Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania). In Romania, this unique plant is named crucea voinicului (English: the cross of the powerful). Masses of starry deep-blue flowers provide rich decoration in early spring over evergreen, mats of leathery, deep-green, tri-lobed foliage.


Photo from MyNature, © Andrei Lenard