Trigonella astroides: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. Three small sub–populations are known. The extent of occurrence is less than 5000 km2, the area of occupancy is 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. Annual plants. Stems 5–15 cm, thin, branched from the base. Inflorescence 3–8–flowered, umbel–shaped, peduncle about 1 cm long. Corolla yellow, 4–5 mm long. Legumes horizontally stellate divaricate, straight or slightly curvate, 10–20 x 1 mm.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Yerevan (surroundings of Kaghtsrashen village), Darelegis (surroundings of Yeghegnadzor) and Meghri (surroundings of Nyuvadi village) floristic regions. EOO is 1139 km2, AOO is 12 km2, the number of locations is 3. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, East Transcaucasia, East Mediterranea, South–west Asia, Anatolia and North Iran.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower mountain belt, at the altitudes of 600–1300 meters above sea level, on dry stony places, in phryganoids. Flowering in May, fruiting in June.

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 specially protected nature area on Yerakh mountain range, monitoring of the population state.