Alpine willows (Salix) of the Czech Sudetes - distribution and present state of populations

Alpine willows of the Czech Republic represent a group of species with an extremely vulnerable relic distribution. Populations of four species, i.e. Salix bicolor, S. hastata, S. herbacea and S. lapponum occur at a rather limited number of localities in the Krkonoše Mts and/or in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts and they are usually consisting of low number of individuals. This study compares the past records of the occurrence of these species (based on herbarium specimens and literature records) with our recent field observations. We discuss the decline of the number of populations as well as individuals, recent distribution and number of localities, doubtful records and future prospects of the studied populations.