Acantholimon compactum
Status: VU. A very rare narrowly endemic species.
Description. Cushion-like semi-shrub. The cushions are very dense, high, hemispherical, 5 - 15 cm in diameter. Leaves are bluish, flat, narrow-lanceolate, linear, rigid, 0.5 - 1.5 (2.5) cm long, 1 - 1.5 mm wide, glabrous at the edge and finely fringed-rough. Flowering stems significantly exceed the leaves, up to 15 - 20 cm high, simple, densely and shortly pubescent. Flowers are gathered in sparse 5 - 8 spike-like inflorescences. The spikelets are about 15 mm long, with 2 - 3 flowers. All the bracts of the spikelet are hairy, the outer one is 1.5 times shorter than the inner ones. The calyx is 10 - 12 mm long, funnel-shaped, sparsely hairy between the veins. Petals are pink.
Biological features. Seed reproduction. Flowers in July-August.
General distribution and in the country. The foothills of the northern macro-slopes of the Turkestan and Alai ranges between the rivers Lyailyak and Shakhimardan.
Habitat. Fine-soil-stony foothill slopes at an altitude of 1000-2000 m above sea level, usually in wormwood, ephemeral-wormwood communities with shrubs.
Population. Very limited.
Limiting factors. Overgrazing by livestock in uncontrolled early-spring and autumn-winter pastures, reduction of the species' range due to land reclamation and conversion of land for plowing.
Cultivation. No information available.
Existing conservation measures. Listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz SSR (1985).
Recommended conservation measures. Clarify natural reserves, and organize a botanical reserve in areas of maximum species concentration.
Nyk tёё taman
Dense Prickly-thrift
Acantholimon compactum Korov
Status: VU. It is a rare mosaic-distributed endemic species, one of 25 Kyrgyz congeners, spread in the country between rivers Lyailyak and Shakhimardan. It populates silty-soil and stony piedmonts, usually in ephemeral-absinthe communities, at an altitude of 1,000-2,000 m above sea level. Period of flowering: June - August, reproduction is generative (by seeds). Any data about cultivation are absent, number in nature is small. Limiting factors: uncontrollable pasturage in early-spring and autumn-winter periods, decreasing and destruction of habitats owing to the development of lands (melioration and ploughing-up). Any special methods for the preservation are not elaborated, despite being included in the Red Book of the country in 1985, thus it is necessary to estimate the number in nature and to create botanical wildlife areas in habitats with concentrated populations.
