Psephellus zangezuri: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. Endemic of South Armenia. Only one population is known with fragmented area of distribution. 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 herbs. Stems prostrate or ascending, 12–35 cm, densely pubescent. Radical leaves pinnate to bipinnatisect; lower and middle cauline leaves irregularly pinnatipartite, upper ones usually entire. Marginal flowers light pink, with narrow lobes.

Distribution. It grows only in Zangezur (Goris, Bartsravan, Kapan, Geghi, Tatev) floristic region. EOO is 285 km2, AOO is 24 km2. The number of locations is 5.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in middle mountain belt, at the altitudes of 1300–1700 meters above sea level, on dry slopes, among tragacanth communities, in the steppes, at forest edges. Flowering from June to July, fruiting from July to September.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by land development for arable purposes.

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