Sempervivum balcanicum

What do you know about Sempervivum balcanicum? This species was described in year 1951. The plants were collected by the group of the Bulgarien botanists in year 1939 - Stará planina mountains, central part of the mountains, location - peak of the mountain Mara Gidik, at 2000 m to 2200 m above sea level, in granite rocks.

Since the year 1939 nobody has visited these places to explore these plants. There is one problem - the altitude. The plants should grow in 2000 m to 2200 m above sea level, but the top of Mara Gidik is only at 1890 m above sea level (we can say, the altitude is not exact - look at the year of discovery the plants).

In summer this year (2010) I had the chance to visit the mountain of Mara Gidik. I have visited these places only with one friend, the rest of the "expedition" stayed in the valley. We have been there only one afternoon in this shire. But we have found this plants.

Mara Gidik


The top of Mara Gidik - the weather was not nice...


The top of Mara Gidik - view of Botev (the highest peak of Stará planina - in the fog)


Outcome? The plants are here! Pictures can say more than my words.











Discussion:

1. The Sempervivums are growing only on the top of Mara Gidik, the habitat is not big, there are approximately hundreds plants.
2. We have been in this area only one afternoon. Stará planina is quite big mountanis, there should be more habitats, or we have not overview of another Sempervivums in these mountains. It is necessary to spend there more time.
3. Sempervivum balcanicum belongs to Sempervivum marmoreum complex (subsp. or var.). It is necessary to explore the mountains to see another Sempervivums and to understand the connections between the plants.

What do you say?

Breathtaking photos!

Unfortunately I'm no good in classification.

Name - basionym and synonyms - goes something like this:

S. balcanicum Stoj. (1951)

S. marmoreum var. balcanicum (Szoj.) Stoj. et Stef. (1956)

S. marmoreum subsp. marmoreum var. balcanicum ???

S. marmoreum var. balcanicum (Wale) Zonneveld (1999)

I myself have no record of any exact habitat - list of feloww collectors included!

There is one record about the habitat of S. balcanicum - the description: the type was collected by the group of Bulgarian botanists on the top of the mountain Mara Gidik (Konop R., 1987: Netřesky, Praha). I can not find the original description (on internet - but I have found the original description of S. kindingeri).