Vranja Marshmallow (Althaea vranjensis)
This enigmatic species was growing exclusively around the city of Vranja in southeast Serbia.
The species disappeared (when?) after the destruction of parts of its habitat due to urban development by the city of Vranja, and the conversion of the remaining parts for agriculture purposes.
I have to admit, however, that the exact status of this plant (accepted species or synonym) seems not to have been clarified yet.
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There is another form of marshmallow, the Kragujevac Marshmallow (Althaea kragujevacensis Pančić ex Diklić & Stevan.), which was thought to be restricted to the vicinity of the city of Kragujevac in Šumadija, Central Serbia.
This form was long thought to represent a distinct and now extinct, endemic Serbian species, but is now, however, treated as a synonym of the Common Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.).
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edited: 15.10.2020
Tag Archives: Serbia
Trapa annosa Janković
Morava Water Caltrop (Trapa annosa)
The Morava Morava Water Caltrop was described in 1957 as a distinct species.
This flooding aquatic plant only grew in some stagnant and slowly flowing areas of the Morava River, a tributary of the Danube in the Pomoravlje District in central Serbia.
The taxonomic position of this plant is unclear; however, it is very likely identical to the Water Caltrop (Trapa natans L.) (see depiction below), in fact the only difference between the two forms seems to be the length of the horn-like outgrowths on the fruit, which is longer in the Serbian form than in the common Water Caltrop.
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The Water Caltrop itself is now also an endangered species.
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edited: 30.04.2021