Astragalus karabaghensis: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. The extent of occurrence and 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. Thorny cushion–shaped branched undershrub 20–30 cm. Leaves 4–6 cm long; leaflets 6–9–paired, 2–6 x 1–2 mm, almost glabrous. Flowers in approximate axillary fascicles, forming capitate inflorescence 2,5–3 cm in diam. Calyx covered with long, squarrose hairs; teeth setiform, much longer than tube, with long cilia. Corolla not exceeding the calyx, bright pink; lamina of flag not auriculate, gradually narrowed in wide claw.

Distribution. In Armenia it occurs only in Darelegis (Ayar gorge, between the villages Khachik and Gnishik) floristic region. EOO is 70 km2, AOO is 12 km2, the number of locations is 2. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, Karabagh, East Anatolia and North–West Iran.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in upper mountain belt, at the altitudes of 1800–2300 meters above sea level, on dry stony and clay slopes, in the steppes and meadow–steppes. Flowering from July to August, fruiting from August to September.

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

Conservation actions. No conservation actions. Necessary: establishment of new specially protected nature area in the Ayar gorge, monitoring of the population state.