The conservation status of Tragopogon taleghanensis, an endemic species from Iran

Document Type : Rare and Endangered Plant Species of Iran

Authors

1 Membership of scientific board, Head of Non-Flowering Plants Group/Research Institute of Forests & Rangelands, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant professor/Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands

3 Professor, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

10.22092/irn.2025.367177.1603

Abstract

The genus Tragopogon L. belongs to the Asteraceae family and includes 27 species in Iran, 11 of which are endemic. Tragopogon taleghanensis Safavi & Mahmoodi is a rare and narrowly endemic species, known only from a single locality in Alborz Province. Following the IUCN Red List criteria, factors such as Area of Occupancy (AOO), Extent of Occurrence (EOO), habitat quality, population size, and reproductive status were assessed. Field studies estimated the AOO and EOO to be just 0.012 km², with approximately 150 mature individuals exhibiting very low fertility. Consequently, T. taleghanensis qualifies as Critically Endangered (CR). Major threats to its survival include habitat destruction due to road construction and overgrazing by livestock. To ensure the conservation of this species, it is essential to collect and store seeds in a gene bank, designate its natural habitat as a protected area, conduct further ecological studies, and implement restoration efforts both in situ and in botanical gardens.

Keywords

References

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Iran Nature
Volume 10, Issue 1 - Serial Number 50
May and June 2025
Pages 87-92

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