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Lamiaceae Taxonomy Browser
Sideritis scardica Griseb.
EOL Text
Sideritis scardica is endemic to the central part of the Balkan Peninsula (RBG Kew 2012). Its distribution is not continuous, but rather fragmented between mountain ranges at high elevations. In Macedonia, it is widespread in the central and western mountains. In Albania, it is limited to the mountains in the southwest, where it is known from Steblevë Markgraf (Dibëra District) at 1500 m (Janeska et al. 2007, Petreska et al. 2010, L. Shuka pers. comm. 2013). In Bulgaria it is only known from nine localities in the Slavyanka Mountains, Pirin Mountains and Rhodopi Mountains at elevations between 1,000 to 2,200 metres (Petrova and Vladimirov 2009). It is distributed mainly in mountainous areas of eastern-central, north-central and north-eastern Greece, between 1,600 and 2,300 m asl (Strid and Tan 1991, National Technical University of Athens 2011). It has been recorded from European Turkey, at 800 m asl (Güner et al. 2000). The exact distribution in Serbia is unknown, but likely to be restricted to the mountains at high elevations.
The extent of occurrence (EOO) across Europe, as measured by the minimum convex hull, is estimated to be around 86,000 km²; the calculated area of suitable habitat within its European range is roughly estimated to be 9,600 km².
Within the EU 27, the EOO is estimated to be around 20,000-30,000 km², based on known locality data in Bulgaria and presence in Natura 2000 sites in Greece (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Environment and Water 2011, National Technical University of Athens 2011), though this is an uncertain estimate. In Bulgaria, EOO is estimated to be around 1,200 km²; based on presence in nine 10x10 km grid cells, the maximum value for the area of occupancy (AOO) is 900 km². In Greece, the amount of suitable montane habitat is calculated to be up to 3,500 km².
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Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
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Rights holder/Author | © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |
Red List Criteria
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
EU 27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
Sideritis scardica is endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, where it is found at high altitudes in rocky montane areas. It is under intense collection pressure from the wild, with increasing demand for its medicinal value. The mass collection of generative shoots during the flowering phase combined with low germination of seeds has resulted in a significant population declines, at least in parts of its range, as the plant has been exploited for its herbal properties. It is not known to be extensively cultivated and although it occurs in protected areas and is a protected species in some countries, the degree of enforcement is unknown and collection is ongoing. Anthropogenic activities such as land use changes, trampling, ploughing, creation of forest trails, and grazing by cattle are additional threats.
Populations have been declining for several decades, particularly in Bulgaria (where the most population information is available), though the decline has not been quantified. Although conservation measures have been put in place in the past ten years, whether these have been effective is unknown; they have not been so in the past. The species is threatened in half of its countries of occurrence and its population appears to be quite small (<2,500 mature individuals in Bulgaria and >250 in Serbia), though population data are absent from the centre of its range in Albania, Macedonia and Greece, where populations might be larger (but demand is expected to remain high). Given the species' threatened status across much of its range, and considering the uncertainty in the population sizes and degree of decline, it is listed as Near Threatened approaching criteria A2cde.
Within the EU 27, it is present only in Bulgaria and Greece and is threatened in both countries. The extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 20,000-30,000 km². It is severely fragmented and suffering a continuing decline in both the quality of habitat and number of mature individuals. As the most intense collection pressure is in Bulgaria and Greece, and presuming population declines over the past 10-15 years have followed the same pattern as over the past few decades, it is suspected to have declined by at least 20% across its EU 27 range, and possibly 30% or more. It is therefore listed as Near Threatened approaching criteria A2cde and B1ab(iii,v).
Close monitoring and protection of the small remaining fragmented population is required to prevent local extinctions, particularly at the national levels where harvest and trade is carried out. Ex situ conservation in gene banks and increase in the area of cultivation to meet market demand should also be explored. It is strongly recommended to collect detailed population information and decline rates from each country and to re-assess the species when these data are available. It might then require a higher threat category.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |
Population
In Bulgaria, there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, with fewer than 250 in each of the fragmented subpopulations, and the population is declining (Petrova and Vladimirov 2009). Yordanova and Apostolova (2000) found that populations maintained highest density on rocky terrains, most likely because such terrains are least accessible to anthropogenic interference and also because the extreme conditions in such habitats reduce competition. They also found limited formation of generative shoots, indicating poor reproductive capacity of the population in general.
No population information is available from Macedonia, though the plant is widespread (Janeska et al. 2007). In Serbia, the subpopulation has over 250 individuals (Baričevič et al. 2004), however, its presence is not verified in any literature. The number of individuals in Greece and Albania are unknown. It is not a rare species in Greece, though Sideritis species are often over-collected for their use in the preparation of mountain tea; the species is assumed to be declining due to over-collection for commercial demand and possibly habitat decline (I. Bazos pers. comm. 2013). In Greece it is cross pollinated and therefore each colony at different sites is a different open-pollinated subpopulation, which is increasing the natural hybridization of this species (Lipman 2009).
Population Trend
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Rights holder/Author | © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |
Major Threats
Anthropogenic activities such as trampling and collecting also impact the species, as evidenced by the higher density of plants found in close proximity to Juniperus communis, which offers some protection (Yordanova and Apostolova 2000). There is also grazing pressure from cattle and further pressure of habitat loss from humans through land use changes, ploughing and creation of forest trails (Yordanova and Apostolova 2000, National Technical University of Athens 2011).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |
Conservation Actions
In Macedonia, the Ministry of the Environment has regulated its export due to unregulated demand and sale of this species. This species is listed as Critically Endangered in Serbia; there is one domestic/improved cultivar in F.R. Yugoslavia (Baričevič et al. 2004). It is described as threatened in Greece (Lipman 2009), and is provisionally listed as threatened in Albania (L. Shuka pers. comm. 2013). It has been identified as a target species for the SEEDNet Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Working Group (Lipman 2009).
Conservation priorities for the protection and preservation of this species include protection under national legislation (e.g. the Biodiversity Act in Bulgaria), ex situ conservation by preserving their seeds and germplasm, and increasing the area in cultivation to cover the increasing demands from consumers (Lipman 2009, Petrova and Vladimirov 2009). Research is needed to quantify the harvest across its range and measure the extent of declines, particularly in Albania and Turkey where there is no population information available. Populations should be monitored to ensure collection from the wild is sustainable and that existing conservation actions are effective; protection of the plant from overcollection has been achieved in specific sites through active monitoring and protection (e.g. Mougla Forestry Range in Moursalitza Ridge, Bulgaria; Yordanova and Apostolova 2000).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/203271 |