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Historical occurrence of Spergularia echinosperma, a rare Nanocyperion species in Hungary
3–9Views:278Three species of the genus Spergularia have been known from Hungary. The most widespread one, Spergularia rubra (L.) J. Presl et C. Presl occurs on young sandy fallow fields and other disturbed habitats. The other species, S. marina (L.) Bess. and S. media (L.) C. Presl, occur sporadically in saline grasslands, and both have been recently spreading along salted roads. During a revision of the genus Spergularia in Hungarian herbaria, specimens of the species S. echinosperma (Čelak.) Asch. et Graebn. were found. It is a rare species previously known to occur only in Czechia and Germany and to be extinct in Austria and Slovakia (a few occurrences along the Morava and Danube rivers between 1909 and 1953). However, it was recently discovered in Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. It is a typical mudflat plant that occurs on exposed sandy shores of water bodies. Two herbarium sheets collected by Gyula Tauscher from near the village of Ercsi (riverbank of the Danube) in 1903 were found in the Carpato-Pannonicum collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum. In addition, a new specimen was found, collected in Slovakia (Danube near Šamorín, collected by Mihály Résely in 1868) at the vicinity of the Hungarian border. The species was not confirmed during a field inspection of the target localities in Hungary; therefore, we have to consider it extinct in the country as well as in the whole Pannonian Basin. Recently, S. echinosperma was split into two subspecies – subsp. echinosperma and subsp. albensis. The subsp. echinosperma is probably restricted to fishponds in the SW part of Czechia and subsp. albensis occurs mainly in the floodplains of the river Elbe in Germany. The extinct populations of S. echinosperma in the Pannonian Basin belonged to the subsp. albensis. This taxon is morphologically close to S. rubra but can be reliably distinguished by densely verrucose seeds and shorter than wide stipules.
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Monitoring of the Apium repens population near Császártöltés (2006–2015)
1–8Views:162Detailed botanical surveys were carried out to monitor the population size of Apium repens in the Vörös-mocsár nature protection area (located in S Hungary, Császártöltés). We found a clear correlation between the water status and the land use type and management of the habitats and the size of the Apium repens population. Apium repens is a Nanocyperion-species, which simultaneously requires wet and open surfaces. Its population shrinks, becomes latent or disappears if its habitat dries out or any other radical transformation happens, like too much leaf litter, closure of the vegetation, or succession on the open peat surfaces. Proper management (water retention, extensive grazing, mowing, open peat surface) has a very positive effect on the populations in a short time, even within a growing season. The research was implemented within the framework of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System, in cooperation with the Kiskunság National Park Directorate.
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Annual Lythrum species in Hungary: revision of the subgenus Hyssopifolia
64–70Views:108Four ephemeral Lythrum species have been recorded from Hungary so far. Lythrum hyssopifolia is widely distributed in the whole country. Most occurrences of L. tribracteatum are located in southeastern Hungary and alongside the Danube. The Central Asian L. linifolium was reported from a single locality (Tiszaug village, E Hungary) in 1954, which is the only European record of this species. However, we have ascertained that the voucher specimen of this record differs from L. linifolium in some morphological traits, but strongly resembles L. borysthenicum that is distributed in the Mediterranean and steppe regions of eastern Europe. Based on our revision we suggest deleting L. linifolium from both Hungarian and European checklists. The former Hungarian occurrence of L. thesioides is confirmed by vouchers.