Szovitsia callicarpa: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. Only one population is known. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are less than 500 km2. The main threat is the land development for agricultural purposes. It was included in the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia under Category 2: Rare species. It is not included in the Annexes of CITES and that of the Bern Convention.

Description. Annual plant 20–50 cm. Leaf lobes narrowly linear. Umbels opposite to leaves. Fruit covered with transverse plicae.

Distribution. In Armenia it occurs only in Yerevan floristic region ("Erebuni" State Reserve, surroundings of the villages Nubarashen, Voghchaberd and Shorbulakh). EOO is 60 km2, AOO is 36 km2, the number of locations is 2. Besides Armenia it grows in Karabagh, Nakhichevan, East Anatolia, North–West Iran.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower and middle mountain belts, at the altitudes of 900–1500 meters above sea level, on dry stony slopes, on red clays of the Tertiary period, in saline soils, semi–deserts and steppes. Flowering from April to May, fruiting in May.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by the land development for agricultural purposes and by the expand of the residential substructures.

Conservation actions. The part of the population is situated in "Erebuni" State Reserve. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.