European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Artemisia eriantha is a European alpine species that is distributed in the Pyrenees, southwestern Alps, central Apennines, Carpathians and Balkan mountains. It has a restricted distribution but can be locally common and has stable populations in some countries. In parts of its range, the plant is classed as threatened on national red lists and it faces threats such as collection, trampling, habitat degradation due to tourist development and recreational activities. But in most Balkan states, the species inhabits inaccessible habitats that are not subject to any threats. Therefore, the species is classed as Least Concern at European level.

In the EU 27 member states, the situation is similar as the species is threatened in some parts of its range but not in others where it has stable populations. It is unlikely that the species will decline fast enough to qualify for any of the threatened categories in the near future, however, the populations should be monitored. It is classed as Least Concern for the moment.

European alpine species that is distributed in the Pyrenees, southwestern Alps, central Apennines, Carpathians and Balkan mountains. The species is present in Spain, France, Poland, Slovakia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, FYR Macedonia, Romania and in Greece (Euro+Med Plantbase 2006-2010).
In the whole Balkan peninsula, it is found at more than 15 localities measured in 10x10 km grid cells.

In Poland, the plant is found in the Western Tatra Mountains and the High Tatra Mountains in small populations of up to tens of individuals at few localities probably not more than 500 tufts in total.
In Slovakia, it occurs in the Western, High and Belianske Tatra Mountains at about 30 localities (incomplete information from the database of the Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences). It is usually found in small populations, but some with hundreds of individuals.
In Spain, it has been noted at 46 localities in the Pyrenees (Anthos 2009).

The population trend is stable in France, Poland and Slovakia.

In the whole Balkan peninsula it is found at more than 15 localities In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it occurs on Mt. Dinara (Troglav - Bosnia) and on Mt. Prenj (Otiš - Herzegovina). The size of both populations has not been estimated but as the one on Mt. Dinara is restricted to the north facing mountain peak, it is probably small. In Montenegro, the plant is found on the Durmitor mountain and Prokletije mountain but the population size and trend are unknown. At Mt Durmitor there are several micro-localities and it is probably the most abundant population in the Dinaric Alps, estimated to have a few thousand tufts. Populations in Mt Prokletije in Montegero, Albania and southwest Serbia (Kosovo) have not been estimated but could be abundant due to numerous favourable habitats existing in this mountain massif. In the central part of the Balkan peninsula, it is distributed in limestone peaks of M Šarplanina in southwest Serbia (Kosovo) and Korab (FYR Macedonia and northeast Albania). Populations in Bulgaria are restricted to Mt Rila and Mt Pirin, while in Greece it has a scattered distribution on Mt Olympus and mountains of Epirus.

This plant grows in alpine grassland, gravelly plateaus, rocks and stabilized screes on limestone, rocky crevices, granite, often mylonitized granite, flysch and serpentine. It is found at an altitude from 1,900-2,800 m. It is a characteristic species of the class Asplenietea rupestria, and forms part of the alliance Festucion versicoloris.
In the southeastern Dinaric Alps it inhabits limestone rock crevices and stable screes, usually on north-facing rocks. It belongs to the rare siliceous rocks alliance Saxiragion cymosae as well as the alliances Petasition doerfleri and Seslerion juncifoliae. In Mt Olympus in Greece, it is a member of high-mountain chasmophytic community Potentilla deorum – Saxifraga scardica, order Potentilletalia speciosae. In the Balkans the species rather prefers calcareous than siliceous rocks.

The species is found in the following habitats listed on the Habitats Directive (Commission of the European Communities 2009):

• 6170 Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands
• 8110 Siliceous scree of the montane to snow levels (Androsacetalia alpinae and Galeopsietalia ladani)
• 8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation
• 8220 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

Different threats have been described for this species such as collection and trampling. Its habitat faces threats from tourist development (skiing, paths, cycling tracks) and recreational activities such as mountaineering or rock climbing. Quarries and natural disasters such as landslides or avalanches are also impacting on the habitat.

In Poland, for example, it is classed as lower risk and only threatened by the rare occurrence. In Serbia, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the species inhabits inaccessible habitats that are far from strong human impacts (e.g. ski paths), except rare grazing. No serious threats have been observed in the field.

It is rarely cultivated in gardens from plants collected in the wild. The species is collected for the the production of liqueur (brandy) in parts of its range.

Artemisia eriantha is listed on Annex V of the Habitats Directive.

In Poland, all the sites are situated within a protected area, the Tatra National Park, which also hosts the majority of the Slovak populations. Two populations are monitored (Każmierczakowa and Żarzycki 2001). In Slovakia, the species is protected and currently classed as Vulnerable, and apart from the Tatra National Park, localities are included in small scale nature reserves.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Italy, it is considered as a Vulnerable species (Šilić 1996, Conti et al. 1997).
In Bulgaria, it is listed as Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii); C2a(i) (Petrova and Vladimirov 2009). In Serbia, it is classed as Lower Risk but conservation dependent (Stevanović 2005-2011); it has the same listing in Montenegro. The species is not included in the red lists of Albania, Greece, FYR Macedonia, and Spain.

In Montenegro, the majority and most abundant populations are situated in the National Park Durmitor, while in Serbia part of the Balkan populations are restricted to limestone peaks of Mt Šarplanina inside of the National Park with the same name. In Bulgaria, whole populations are situated inside two national parks “Rila” and “Pirin”. Parts of the populations in FYR Macedonia (Mt Šarplanina, and Mt Korab), Albania (Mt Prokletije and Mt Korab), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mt Dinara and Mt Prenj) and in some localities in Greece (Mountains of Epirus -Tymphi, Smolikas and Gramos) are not protected. The population growing on Mt Olympus in Greece is under protection and is proposed for a National Park Olympus.