On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, the Department of Biodiversity at the University of Primorska organized a public online lecture—a biology evening titled “Wild Gladiolus (Sword Lilies) in Slovenia.” The lecture, organized as part of the Kras4us project, was attended by about 40 participants.
The lecture was given by biologist Tina Rojko, who at the time of the event was employed at the Nature Conservation Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Maribor Regional Unit. Tina is interested in a wide range of topics in nature and ecology, but she is particularly passionate about botany. She earned her master’s degree in Ecology and Biodiversity from the Faculty of Biotechnology in Ljubljana with a thesis titled “The Usefulness of Aboveground Distinctive Characteristics of the Illyrian and Marsh Gladiolus.” During the lecture, she presented some findings from her thesis as well as some general interesting facts about these wonderful plants. For example, we learned how to distinguish between otherwise very similar gladiolus species using only their above-ground parts—that is, non-invasively, without digging up the plants. We discovered that the Karst region also provides a favorable environment for the growth of the Gladiolus genus, and that there are populations of several different species, particularly along the Karst edge.
