Elwes's Snowdrop

Elwes's Snowdrop (Galanthus elwessii Hook, f., Bot. Mag. 101: t. 6166 1875). Synonyms: Chianthemum elwesii (Hook.f.) Kuntze; Galanthus nivalis L. subsp. elwesii (Hook.f.) Gottl. Galanthus elwessii, like other species of the genus Galanthus L. (Amaryllidaceae), are often very difficult to distinguish from one another (Shuka et al., 2011; Tan et al., 2014). Thus G. elwessii is very similar to G. gracilis, according to A. Davis (2013), because both species have broad and long leaves, which often exceed the flower stem. They are also notable for the glassy appearance of their leaves, as well as the presence of 2 or one large green spot near the apex of the inner petal (Yuzbaşıoğlu, 2012). However, the leaves of G. gracilis are narrower, while the flowers are smaller than those of G. elwessii. G. elwessii is a species that flowers early in spring, immediately after snow melt.

Galanthus elwessii was first reported for Albania by Rakaj & Shehu, 2012, as well as Hashani (2015) and Barina (2015). This species, under its former name Galanthus nivalis L., is included in indicator species of the Habitats Directive, Annex V thereof. It grows mainly in wet and semi-wet meadows of the Grammos and Shishtavec Mountains, as well as in calcareous rocky terraces of the Korab Plain formed by soil deposits. In wet or semi-wet meadows, G. elwessii is associated with Caldesia palustris, Parnasia palustris, and Veratrum sp., and more rarely with Crocus scardicus and Ranunculus degenii. This species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Habitat and Ecology: The species is localized along watercourse channels in the mountain pastures of Kallabak, the Grammos Mountains, and on the northern rocky terraces of Korab Mountain, above the Korab Plain, at elevations ranging from 1650 m to 2000 m. Elwes's Snowdrop (Galanthus elwessii) is part of a study on the Inventory of Rare and Endemic Plants for the Korab-Koritnik Natural Park, being conducted by ALCDF with the expert group of the Iliria Society, within the framework of the project "Protection and Sustainable Use of Protected Areas in the Sharr Mountains, Mavrova, and Korab-Koritnik". This project is financed by the PONT program – Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust, implemented by ALCDF and partners CSCD and LAG Dibra Turistike.