Hedysarum elegans: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. Grows in the zone of intensive economic activity. The extent of occurrence is less than 5000 km2, the area of occupancy is less than 500 km2. 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. Perennial stemless plants, 6–25 cm. Leaflets 1–3–paired, from both sides silvery pilose, ovate–elliptic. Inflorescence dense, many–flowered. Corolla purple–violet, 14–20 mm long. Legumes 3–4–articulate; articules without setose acicules, tomentose–white, torulose.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Shirak (Djadjur, mountain Mets Sariar), Lori (surroundings of Spitak town) and Darelegis (surroundings of Khachik, Gnishik and Mozrov villages) floristic regions. EOO is 2370 km2, AOO is 20 km2, the number of location is 3. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, North–East Anatolia.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in upper and sub–alpine belts, at the altitude of 1800–2700 meters above sea level, in the steppes, on screes and stony slopes. Flowering from May to July, fruiting from June to August.

Limiting factors. Loss/degradation of habitats caused by land development, overgrazing and global climate change.

Conservation actions. No conservation actions. Necessary: establishment of specially protected nature area on Shirak mountain range, monitoring of the population state.