First report of Heracleum sosnowskyi in Serbia
In 2016, Heracleum sosnowskyi (Apiaceae: EPPO A2 pest) was recorded as a new alien species of the flora of Serbia. The species was found in the area of Belgrade on the left bank of the river Danube near Kovilovo. The species is native to central and eastern Caucasus and Western, Central, Eastern and Southwestern Transcaucasia and Northern Turkey. Within the EPPO region the species is invasive in Finland, Hungary and Latvia where it threatens native biodiversity, erodes riverbanks and causes negative impacts for humans by posing a health risk. Due to these impacts, the species is listed as a species of European Union concern under the Regulation (EU) 1143/2014. The current population in Serbia extends in a narrow linear population along both sides of the Grbavica river canal where an average of 10 individuals are recorded per 10 m2. The authors recommend that the species should be monitored and further investigations on the spread and distribution of the species should be performed.
Sources
Stojanović V, Petrović S, Kovačević J, Stojanović D, Bjedov I (2017) Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. (Apiaceae) – a new invasive species in the flora of Serbia. BIBLID 116, 215-220.