Document Type : Rare and Endangered Plant Species of Iran
Authors
1
Assistant Prof., Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Sanandaj, Iran.
2
Senior Research Expert, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
3
Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.
10.22092/irn.2025.370274.1662
Abstract
Tanacetum kurdistanicum Maroofi & Rastegar (Asteraceae) is one of the endemic species in the flora of Kurdistan Province, distributed within a restricted habitat on the northeastern slopes of Abidar Mountain. Based on IUCN criteria and categories (AOO < 2 km²), this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR). Because the species has only a single population, the EOO factor is not applicable; therefore, other indicators—such as the number of individuals within the population, the reproductive status of those individuals, and the trend of population stability over the past decade—were used to determine its conservation status. Although the isolation of this valuable and exclusive species plays a crucial role in its conservation and continued survival, it also represents the greatest barrier to the expansion of its populations. Conservation of this species outside its main habitat, through the collection of plant seeds and their preservation in the Iranian Natural Resources Gene Bank, as well as through planting and propagation in botanical gardens and research farms, is considered feasible and practical. Moreover, conservation measures within the habitat should be implemented by the relevant agencies, including the Natural Resources Organization and the Environmental Protection Organization, to ensure protection of its unique habitat. In addition, strengthening the population can be achieved through seed collection and reseeding within the primary habitat. Reseeding in other ecologically similar habitats around Sanandaj—given the high ecological sensitivity of this species—may also serve as a viable strategy for enhancing protection and supporting long-term persistence.
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