Data on Some Parasitic and Semi-parasitic Plant Species from Serpentines of Kosovo

From the richness of the vascular flora of Kosovo, the flowering plants predominate. Within this group of plants, most of them are typical autotrophic plants. In contrast, a very small group of plants consists of parasitic and semi-parasitic life. Semi-parasitic plants are able to perform the process of photosynthesis throughout their life cycle and mainly take up water and mineral salts dissolved by the host plant. In our study, we focus on the presence of certain confirmed parasitic and semi-parasitic plant species in the serpentines of Kosovo, with additional evidence of their occurrence in other parts of the country as well. Here, as a result of intensive twoyear field work, we provide details on the presence of the following four species, two of them semiparasitic: Arceuthobium oxycedri (DC.) M. Bieb. and Loranthus europaeus Jacq., and two parasitic: Lathraea squamaria L. and Orobanche alba Willd. For each species, the host plant(s), status as parasitic or semi-parasitic, and data on distribution in the region studied are given, along with a broad discussion of distribution at the state level.