Crataegus zangezura: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. Endemic of Armenia. Two sub–populations are known. 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. Shrub up to 2 m, with thin, glabrous or slightly pilose, brownish–grey shoots. Leaves glabrous, on the fruiting branches elongate– obovate, with narrowly cuneate base, 3–5–lobed; lobes acute, in the upper part largely dentate. Inflorescence few–flowered. Fruits small, 0,8–1 mm long, shortly elliptic, blackish–purple; pyrenes 1–3.

Distribution. Grows in Zangezur (“Shikahogh” State Reserve, surroundings of the towns Goris and Kapan) floristic regions. EOO is 320 km2, AOO is 16 km2, the number of locations is 3.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in middle mountain belt, at the altitudes of 1200–1800 meters above sea level, at forest edges, shibliak, rocky slopes of river gorges. Flowering in June, fruiting from July to October.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy.

Conservation actions. A part of the population grows on the territory of "Shikahoh" State reserve. Necessary: survey on population numbers and range, search of new habitats, monitoring of the state of the population.