Frankenia pulverulenta: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Critically endangered species. One sub–population is known. The extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are less than 10 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. Divaricate branched annual plant 4–40 cm. Leaves obovate, farinose pubescent from below. Flowers in terminal corymbose dichasiums. Calyx cylindrical, glabrous. Petals pink, 4–5 mm long.

Distribution. In Armenia it occurs only in Yerevan (Ararat) floristic region. AOO is 8 km2, the number of locations is 1. Besides Armenia it grows in Ciscaucasia, East Caucasus, East Transcaucasia, South–East Europe, North, Middle, Central and West Asia, North and South Africa.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower mountain belt at the altitudes of 800–850 meters above sea level, in salt marshes, in moist saline soils. Flowering from May to June, fruiting in July.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by anthropogenic factor (grazing, tillage, drainage of marshes, vegetation burning).

Conservation actions. The population grows in the marshes of Ararat which according to RA Government decree on 2008 is included in the list of nature monuments as "Salt marshes". Necessary: monitoring of the population state.