Campanula lactiflora - first report of a well-established neophyte in the Bulgarian flora, with some notes on C. latifolia

Campanula lactiflora (syn. Gadellia lactiflora) is a popular garden plant with natural range spanning through Türkiye, Caucasus, Transcaucasia and Iran. It is a well-documented alien species in some countries, but hitherto unknown in Southeastern Europe. The paper presents its first records as naturalised and propagating non-native species in Bulgaria and the Balkans. Hints for its occurrence in Bulgaria first emerged on the Facebook group “The plants in Bulgaria”, where it appeared on photographs from plant enthusiasts. The subsequent targeted search revealed that C. lactiflora is well-established and reproducing in two separate areas in Rila Mts. The origin of the plant was traced back to two estates of the former royal family of Bulgaria, where the species persists for over a century and from where it penetrated natural habitats, spreading up to 3 km from the source gardens. Data about the present state of the population of C. lactiflora are presented and a brief assessment of the reproductive capabilities of the species is given, including first observations on its seed germination. The occurrence of the rare C. latifolia in Rila Mts is tackled in relation to the finding of C. lactiflora. An overview is given of the hitherto known Bulgarian alien plants that are arguably linked to the Crown estates. The potential of the citizen science for documentation of non-native plants is also briefly discussed.