INFESTATION OF THE MEDICINAL PLANT Sedum telephium L. (CRASSULACEAE) BY THE WEEVIL Aizobius sedi GERM. (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONOIDAEA: APIONIDAE) IN THE KARST REGION OF OLTENIA (SOUTH OF ROMANIA)

Sedum telephium L. is a succulent medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine in Europe. Investigating the opportunity of its intensive culture in the karst region of Oltenia, we gathered data about the frequency and range of this plant's infestation by one of its documented herbivores, Aizobius sedi (GERMAR) which is a steno-monophagous black weevil, feeding on Crassulacean leaves and stems. Its Romanian range has not been documented yet. We hereby present for the first time for Romania, a list of locations where A. sedi was found to inflict damage to native plants S. telephium, complemented by a gridmap in UTM projection system of the species infestation in Oltenia karst region. The region involved in our study comprises a variety of habitats based on limestone substrate spanning North of Danube between 22[degree] 30[minute]E - 24[degree] 30[minute]E meridians, and the 44[degree] 40[minute]N - 45[degree] 40[minute]N parallels; situated approximately between km 4900-5040N of the UTM projection zones 34 and 35. We also present some considerations about the chorology and ecology of the species with reference to biotic and abiotic factors involved in its distribution, its sozological status in Romania and its potential to become a pest of S. telephium in medicinal intensive cultures.