First report of Grindelia squarrosa in Romania
Grindelia squarrosa (Asteraceae) originating from North America was first introduced into Europe in 1804 as a cultivated plant in the Royal garden of Madrid, Spain. Its naturalization has only been recorded in Eastern Europe since the 1950s. In the EPPO region, G. squarrosa is recorded in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. The species has now been recorded in Romania, and in particular in the surroundings of two large cities: Lași and Galați. While the species only covered few dozens of square metres 14 years ago, it has now spread over several thousands of square metres. The species is thought to have been introduced from the former USSR as a contaminant of goods, or via the movement of train passengers. This plant is annual or biennial, 20 to 60 cm high with many flower heads. The reproductive ability of the species was studied in field plots. G. squarrosa exhibited a high reproductive activity, as up to 76 000 achenes per individual were produced per year.
In Romania, G. squarrosa invades highly degraded, dry habitats, roads and railways, embankments and other ruderal places. This species could usefully be monitored in Romania to assess the impacts it may cause, which are not documented so far.
Sources
CABI Invasive Species Compendium – Grindelia squarrosa
Sîrbu C, Oprea A, Truţā E ; Voichiţa G (2011) A study on biology and phytosociology of the invasive plant: Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal. (Asteraceae) in Romania. In: Bohren C, Bertossa M, Schönenberger N, Rossinelli M, Conedera M. (ed) 3rd International Symposium of Environmental Weeds and Invasive Plants. Abstracts. October 2 to 7 2011. Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland.
Available from Internet
http://www.wsl.ch/epub/ewrs/sessions/detail_EN?id=202;session=3;type=posters Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL.
Sîrbu C ; Oprea A (2008) Two alien species in the spreading process in Romania: Reynoutria x bohemica chrtek ; Chrtková. Cercetări Agronomice în Moldova. Vol. XLI, No. 2 (134), 41-50.