Distribution and Resources of the Medicinal Plant Colchicum autumnale L. in Bulgaria

Colchicum autumnale (Colchicaceae) is a perennial geophyte and a medicinal plant. Its biomass is collected for industrial uses for obtaining the alkaloids colchicine and demecolcine. The objective of the present study was to estimate the distribution and potential resources of C. autumnale populations in Bulgaria in terms of their sustainable use. Monitoring of habitats was carried out in concrete harvesting areas. The distribution of the populations and the amount of drug production in specific sites and conditions were studied. In 2014-2015, eleven localities were established in seven floristic regions, spread on an area of 498000 m2. Seed resources obtained from the different populations ranged from 3.57 g to 12225 g. The seed yield depends on the environmental conditions, the number of plants per m2, the number of fruit capsules per plant and the weight of the seeds contained in them. Changes in the management approach to habitats occupied by C. autumnale caused degradation of the areas, resulting in the decrease of the population density of the species.