Bienertia cycloptera: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Critically endangered species. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy have declined as a result of amelioration of saline areas of the Ararat Plain. It was included in the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia under Category 1: Endangered species. It is not included in the Annexes of CITES and that of the Bern Convention.

Description. Succulent, glabrous, light green annual plant, 15–40 cm. Leaves cylindrical, obtuse, curved, at base coadnate with stem. Flowers hermaphrodite and pistillate. Fruits scutellate, with soft alate margin, formed oncoalescent perianth segments.

Distribution. It occurs only in Yerevan floristic region (Ararat, Yeraskh, Masis, Yeraskhahun). EOO is 180 km2, AOO is 28 km2. The number of locations is 3. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, East Transcaucasia, in the south of Europe, East Anatolia, Central and South–West Asia.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower mountain belt, at the altitudes of 800–1000 meters above sea level, in mellows and wet solonchaks (saline bodies). Flowering from July to September, fruiting from September to October.

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

Conservation actions. One of the populations grows in the area of "Vordan Karmir" Reservation and in the stationary plot of the Institute of Soil Science of the Ministry of agriculture. Necessary: monitoring of the population state, search of new habitats, establishment of new specially protected nature area for the conservation of solonchaks.