DISTRIBUTION OF COLCHICUM DOERFLERI HALÁCSY, COLCHICUM TRIPHYLLUM KUNZE AND COLCHICUM BIVONAE GUSS., IN ALBANIA

Colchicum doerfleri and Colchicum triphyllum were recorded and described for the first time as new species for the flora of Albania. The new Colchicum spp. are geophytes, both spring-flowering with synanthous leaves; the first one has a narrow distribution range within Balkans whereas the second one is widely spread from Algeria to Ukraine. In Albania, C. doerfleri reported to occurs in the Ostrovica and Dry Mts, Korcha district, C. triphyllum in Çajupi Mountain, Gjirokastra district and a third species C. bivonae, reported recently, in lower lands of Konispoli and coastal areas near Himara. The species are observed during our field trip carried out in the spring of the years 2011 and 2012. The growing habitat for both first species is inhabited by other interesting species; so in Çajupi Mt, C. triphyllum is companied with Gymnospermium maloi, another endemic species that is described recently from Picari Mt. In the paper, distribution of species is illustrated and mapped, whereas the relationship with other Balkan species of the genus is discussed and compared.