Astragalus prilipkoanus: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. It grows in the area of intensive land use. 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. Stemless perennial plant, covered with bipartite hairs. Leaflets 7–16–paired, 10–27 x 3–9 mm. Peduncles firm, upright, much exceeding the leaves, together with inflorescence 20–40 cm long. Inflorescence many–flowered, very elongating in fruits. Corolla reddish– violet. Beans linear, 2,5–4 cm long.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Zangezur (Achati gorge, between Kapan and Kadjaran, surroundings of Katnarat village) floristic region. EOO is 40 km2, AOO is 12 km2, the number of locations is 3. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, East Transcaucasia, Talish and North Iran.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows from middle to sub–alpine belt, at the altitudes of 1000–2500 meters above sea level, along mountain riversides, between grinded boulders, in steppes and meadows, in open forests. Flowering from May to June, fruiting from June to July.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, small density of the population, loss/degradation of habitats caused by land development and overgrazing.

Conservation actions. No conservation actions. Necessary: survey on population numbers and range, search of new habitats, monitoring of the state of the population.