Coasta Lunii Cheţani

Coasta Lunii is a Natura 2000 protected site located in Cheţani commune, Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania, and it has a surface of 830 ha (3% of commune's surface).

In this area, following investigations conducted by members of the Romanian Society of Lepidopterists, were identified 739 species of butterflies of which a species is new to science, one is unique in Europe, 14 new for the fauna of Romania, and many new for the fauna of Transylvania. Were identified also over 160 species of plants. For many steppe species, the steppe habitats of the Transylvania Plain are the western extremity of the area of distribution.

Importance: the area has steppe slopes of the most representative and best preserved in Transylvania, with rich flora (Crambe tartaria, Iris humilis, etc.). Among the Lepidoptera - the best studied group of invertebrates - there is found the endemic species Filatima transsilvanella, but also a series of 17 rare species, particularly in terms of zoo-geographic importance.

Vulnerability: the adversely impact of the surrounding agrarian land is felt primarily through the accumulation of waste or occasional arson. In the future, it will prevent forestation of pine and acacia, leading to drastic reduction of biodiversity, leading in extreme cases even to the complete elimination of native vegetation. In some parts, from excessive grazing can be observed a pronounced ruderalization.

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.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 3)

Another flower from the Dianthus family (suprataxon: Caryophyllaceae [verbatim]), Dianthus spiculifolius (Romanian: Garofiţa albă de stânci or Barba ungurului, English: rocks white carnation or Beard of the Hungarian) is an elegant plant that grows on limestone rocks, in upland up to the alpine areas. It grows as a bush, with many stems, the flowers are white or pale pink. The leaves are linear, up to 2-3 mm thin and the petals are ragged. It blooms in May-July and has an extraordinary, exquisite perfume.


Image from MyNature, © Beniamin Boceanu
Listed as Dianthus spiculifolius Schur. (1866), this splendid flower is a rare, endemic species who grows in a few restricted areas in the Romanian Carpathians Mountains.



Images from Alpinet, © Daniel Morar, Csaba Iakob

The Checkered Tulip

Fritillia meleagris is an endangered species who lives in a few areas in Romania and Moldova Republic.



The species is protected by law. The plant is perennial, endemic, and lives in wetlands, near the forests; it grows 20-30 cm high and flourishes for a few days in May. In Romania, the plant is named also laleaua pestriţă (the spotted tulip), bibilică, căldăruşă, coarmă and flourishes in Luduş area (Gheja, Grindeni, Tăureni, Zau de Câmpie), Turda Gorges, Şesul Orheiului, Fersig, Olt meadow, Comana forest and some other restricted and protected places.