Carex capitellata: Red Data Book of Armenia

EN B 1 ab(iii) + 2 ab(iii)

Category. Endangered species. 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. Laxly cespitose perennial herbs 8–20 cm. Leaves 1–1,5 (1,8) cm broad, shorter than stems. Inflorescence a solitary terminal spike. Female glumes brown, without light margin, obtuse. Utricules 2,5–3 mm long, sessile, oblong–ovate, convexed–triangulate, green, in upper part brown; rostellum hardly distinct, erect.

Distribution. It occurs in Idjevan (Mrkhuz mountains), Zangezur (Meghri mountain pass) and Meghri (Vahravar riverside, Lichk) floristic regions. EOO is 670 km2, AOO is 16 km2. The number of locations is 3. The general area of distribution includes East and West Caucasus, almost the whole of Transcaucasia and Anatolia. It is rare everywhere.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in the alpine and sub–alpine belts, at the altitudes of 2100–2900 meters above sea level, in wet meadows and ravines. Flowering from May to June, fruiting from June to July.

Limiting factors. Loss/degradation of habitats caused by the expansion of arable lands and nomadic livestock husbandry.

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