Yellow vetchling (Lathyrus aphaca L.) and round-seeded vetchling (Lathyrus sphaericus Retz.) – two species rediscovered for the flora of Slovakia

Abstract

This paper presents information about new findings of two regionally extinct Lathyrus species: L. aphaca and L. sphaericus. A relatively large population of the Lathyrus aphaca was found along a unpaved road through abandoned pear orchards at the northern edge of the Dolné Vestenice village (W Slovakia, Strážovské vrchy Mts.) in 2019 where it occurs in speciesrich shrub vegetation of the Berberidion alliance. L. sphaericus was found in 2020 on the dry rocky slopes of Kusá hora hill near Kozárovce (SW Slovakia, Štiavnické vrchy Mts.). It grew in relatively species rich xero-thermophilous vegetation of the Festucion valesiacae alliance developed on volcanic rocks. We therefore propose to reclassify both species in the Slovak Red List of Ferns and Vascular Plants from the category "regionally extinct" to "critically endangered". URL: https://www.upjs.sk/pracoviska/botanicka-zahrada/odborne-aktivity/contents-abstracts/