Kalidium caspicum: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. It occurs only in Yerevan floristic region. The extent of occurrence is less than 5000 km2, the area of occupancy is 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. Rhizomatous semishrub, 15–75 cm. Shoots grayish– green, alternate, articulate. Leaves fleshy, sharply–tubercliform, alternate, decurrent, amplexicaul. Spikelets 5–10 mm long, usually sessile, terminal. Perianth with 4 coalite segments. Stamens 2.

Distribution. It grows in Yerevan floristic region (Arazap, Markara, Yeraskhahun, Echmiadzin, Yeraskh). EOO is 800 km2, AOO is 48 km2. The number of locations is 4. Besides Armenia the species is distributed in East Ciscaucasia, East Caucasus, East Transcaucasia, Nakhichevan, East Anatolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenia, Mongolia, Dzhungaria.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower altitude mountain belt, at the altitudes of 800–900 meters above sea level, in mellow solonchaks. Flowering from July to August, fruiting from September to October.

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

Conservation actions. One of the populations grows in the surroundings of Yeraskhahun village in Armavir region, in the stationary plot of Soil Science Institute of the Ministry of agriculture and in the area of "Vordan Karmir" Reservation. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.