Galanthus artjuschenkoae Gabrielian: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Vulnerable species. Endemic of Transcaucasia. It is found in 2 floristic regions. The extent of occurrence is less than 20000 km2, the area of occupancy is less than 2000 km2. The main threat is the collection of the flowers as valuable decorative plant and deforestation. It was included in the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia as Galanthus transcaucasicus 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, elongate–lanceolate, opaque, light green. Scape longer than leaves during the flowering. Flowers white or creamy, 35–40 mm long, drooping; external perianth segments with small indistinct gibber; inner ones strongly dilated in upper part, covering each other. Capsule globular or shortly dolioliform. Stigma small, flat.

Distribution. In Armenia it occurs in Idjevan (surroundings of Achadjur, Getahovit, Tehut villages) and Zangezur (surroundings of Shurnukh, Tsav, Vachagan, Shikahogh villages, Kapan) floristic regions. EOO is 5300 square kilometers, AOO is 48 square kilometers, the number of locations is 8. Besides Armenia the species grows in Talish.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in middle mountain belt, at the altitudes of 1100–1700 meters above sea level, in beech, oak–hornbeam forests, between moss–covered rocks. 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. One population is conserved in the territory of "Shikahogh" State Reserve. Necessary: monitoring of the populations state.