Delphinium foetidum: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Vulnerable species. Endemic of the Caucasus. The area of distribution is fragmented. The extent of occurrence is less than 20000 km2, area of occupancy is less than 2000 km2. The species faces decline of the extent of occurrence and area of occupancy caused by internal factors and changes in habitat conditions. 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. Densely glandular perennial herb with unpleasant odour, 15–50 cm. Leaves on long petioles, rounded, 3–partite, with dissected rhomboid–rounded lobes. Racemes few–flowered. Flowers zygomorphic, with spur. Perianth segments about 25 mm long, light blue.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Aragats (Aragats Mountain) and Zangezur (mountains Mets Ishkhanasar, Parakan, Yaghlu, Kaputdjugh) floristic regions. EOO is 6330 km2, AOO is 32 km2, the number of locations is 3. Besides Armenia the general area of distribution includes Nakhichevan and Karabagh.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in alpine belt, at the altitudes of 2700–3600 meters above sea level, on screes and "chingils". Flowering from July to August, fruiting in September.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by global climate change.

Conservation actions. Part of the population grows in "Aragats alpine" reservation. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.