Amblyopyrum muticum: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Critically endangered species. Only one small sub–population is known. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are less than 10 km2. The species faces extinction caused by the changes in habitat conditions. 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. Annual erect plant with glabrous smooth stems up to 90 cm. Leaf sheaths splitted almost to the base. Spikes narrowly linear, 200–300 x 3–4 mm, with 10–20 spikelets; rachis not dividing into rachillas. Spikelets 5–9–flowered, 8–15 mm long. Glumas and lemmas awnless.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows only in Yerevan floristic region (habitats of wild wheat in the neighborhoods of Voghchaberd village). AOO is 8 km2, the number of locations is 1. Besides Armenia the species grows in Anatolia.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in middle mountain belt, at the altitudes of 1300–1400 meters above sea level, on dry stony and clay slopes, among steppe vegetation. Flowering in June, fruiting from June to July.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, climate change.

Conservation actions. The population is conserved in "Erebuni" State Reserve. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.