Garbancillo de Tallante
It belongs to the Fabaceae family. The first collection of this elegant chickpea-like plant was made in 1909 by the Cartagena botanist Francisco de Paula Jiménez Munuera, who, together with Carlos Pau, formally described it in 1910 in the Boletín de la Sociedad Aragonesa de Ciencias Naturales. There are four known specimens of the original discovery, housed in the herbaria of Madrid, Paris and Geneva.
Distribution
It is endemic to the provinces of Murcia and Almería, with a single known population located in the Campo de Cartagena region, in the province of Murcia.
Habitat
This species occurs at elevations between 100 and 200 metres above sea level. It grows in relatively nitrified grasslands and scrub clearings, often in areas with some degree of human disturbance. It has been observed along the edges of cultivated fields and on abandoned farmland, where it is subject to grazing by sheep. Flowering occurs from March to May. Fruit and seed dispersal is primarily gravity-driven, with most seeds remaining close to the parent plant. Germination typically occurs in autumn and winter.
Conservation
There is a single natural population located west of the city of Cartagena, fragmented into four subpopulations. A total of 135 individuals were recorded in 2012. The main challenges to the species’ viability include population fragmentation, which reduces gene flow between subpopulations. Additional threats include changes in land use, competition from invasive species, overgrazing by rabbits, and prolonged droughts.
A recovery plan is currently in place. Between 2012 and 2016, the LIFE project called Conservation of Astragalus nitidiflorus in its potential habitat in the Region of Murcia was developed. The project focused on both ex situ conservation, such as seed preservation in germplasm banks, and in situ strategies, including the reinforcement of existing populations with newly propagated plants.
Images descriptions
The seeds of this species are kidney-shaped, measuring approximately 2 cm long and 2 centimeter wide. They are convex on all sides and have a brownish-yellow reticulate-alveolate surface.
The optical microscope image displays a set of reniform seeds in lateral view.
The scanning electron microscope image provides a detailed view of the seed coat´s edge, highlighting its distinctive reticulate-alveolate surface texture.