Galanthus alpinus: Red Data Book of Armenia

EN B 1 ab(i,ii,iii) + 2 ab(ii,iii)

Category. Endangered species. Endemic of Transcaucasia. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are less than 500 km2. The main threat is the intensive collection as decorative plant and illegal forest cutting which leads to the disturbance of habitats. In the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia it was included under Category 1: Endangered species. It is included in the 2nd Annex of CITES as representative of the genus Galanthus. It is not included in the Annexes of the Bern Convention.

Description. Bulbous plant. Leaves 2, glaucous, obovate. Scape during the flowering longer than leaves. Bract small, convolute. Flowers white, 15–25 mm long, drooping; external perianth segments with distinct gibber; inner ones with reniform or V–shaped green spot. Capsule pyriform or dolioliform. Stigma widened, flat.

Distribution. In Armenia it occurs only in Idjevan floristic region (surroundings of the villages Koghb, Noyemberyan, Voskepar, Achadjur). EOO is 230 km2, AOO is 32 km2, the number of locations is 4. The general area of distribution comprises South–West and South Transcaucasia.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows from lower to middle mountain belts, at the altitudes of 750–1300 meters above sea level, in bright oak–hornbeam, beech–hornbeam and oriental hornbeam forests, rarely in yew forests, among shrubs or in the shibliak. Flowering in March, fruiting in April. It is decorative, pharmaceutical plant.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by deforestation and global climate change.

Conservation actions. No conservation actions. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.