Skrelenia

Skrelenia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae that currently includes a single described species, Skrelenia luminans. The genus and species were established in 1998 by botanists L. Mirov and D. Kline from material collected in the Central Highlands, where the plants grow on limestone-rich talus slopes. The name Skrelenia derives from a local dialect term referring to stone-strewn habitats, while luminans alludes to a faint, silvery sheen on the plant’s pubescence.

Skrelenia luminans is an annual herb that typically reaches 8 to 15 centimeters in height. It has slender, erect stems with sparse, linear to narrowly lanceolate leaves. The inflorescence is a single terminal capitulum composed of pale lilac ray florets surrounding a yellow central disk. The fruit is an obovoid achene with a light, bristly pappus that aids wind dispersal. The species flowers in late summer, with seed set favored by sunny, dry-to-moderate conditions.

Distribution and habitat are narrowly restricted to montane limestone outcrops in a few protected areas of the Central Highlands. It favors well-drained, shallow soils and full sun, exhibiting drought tolerance typical of talus-adapted flora. Reproduction is primarily by seed, aided by bee pollinators attracted to the composite heads.

Conservation status is often cited as endangered due to its limited range and ongoing threats from mining, habitat disturbance, and climate change. Conservation measures prioritize habitat protection, in situ monitoring, and ex situ seed banking and cultivation in regional botanical gardens.