Supplement to the chorology of rare plant taxa from karst habitats in Eastern Bulgaria

Abstract

The present study provides new chorological data on Anthemis rumelica (Velen.) Stoj. & Acht. a rare and conservation-significant taxon in the Bulgarian flora. A new locality of the species has been established within the territory of the Provadiysko-Royaksko Plateau Protected area, recorded for the first time within the floristic region of Northeastern Bulgaria, thus extending its currently known distribution range to the northeast. The species was found in open, rocky, and limestone karst habitats, dominated by facultative chasmophytic species, at an altitude of approximately 180 m. The presented data contribute to a more precise mapping of the species' distribution in Bulgaria and highlight the importance of the Provadiysko-Royaksko Plateau Protected area as a floristically valuable area in terms of plant diversity. Brief notes on its ecological preferences and associated vegetation are provided. The results emphasize the need for more detailed field investigations and for the conservation of this Balkan endemic species and its newly established locality.