Arum conophalloides: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. It has been discovered lately for the work on "Flora of Armenia". It occurs in the south of the republic, the extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are less than 500 km2. It was not included in the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia. It is not included in the Annexes of CITES and that of the Bern Convention.

Description. Perennial monoecious erect herbs with vertical ovate or almost globular tuber. Petiolate leaves 3–4, blades sagittate. Spathe large, 25–40 cm long, greenish to greenish–purple outside, green or purple inside. Spadix 20–30 cm long, slightly shorter than spathe; sterile flowers purple. Compound fruit of densely appressed red baccas; seeds 1–6.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Zangezur (Kapan) and Meghri (Berdakar, Kaler, Vahravar, Shvanidzor, Nyuvadi) floristic regions. EOO is 340 km2, AOO is 30 km2, the number of locations is 3. Besides Armenia it grows in Nakhichevan, Anatolia, North Iraq, and North Iran.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower mountain belt, at the altitudes of 700–1000 meters above sea level, on stony places, often near water. Flowering from April to May, fruiting from May to June. The leaves grow in April simultaneously with flower blooming.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by the expansion of arable lands and grazing.

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