Flora
Flora of "Shikahogh" State Rezerve is represented by 1074 species, 432 genera and 92 families of higher vascular plants. Out of 384 species listed in the Red Data Book of Armenia, about 70 grow in the reserve. The families Asteraceae, Gramineae, Leguminosae, Rosaceae, Laminaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, and Scrophulariaceae are particularly diverse in the reserve. Local flora has been significantly affected by Iranian flora, but also retains an array of Caucasian and boreal taxa due to generally mesophilic pattern of vegetation.
The most common species in the reserve are those which act as the principal edificators of forest landscapes: Georgian and Caucasian oaks, Caucasian hornbeam, field, Georgian and Balkan maples, raywood ash, Caucasian and Georgian honeysuckles and some others.
Very rare relict species of ferms, southern adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum) and Crimean brake (Pteridium tauricum), grow here. Eighteen species of algae are recorded. The reserve is rich in endemic and relict species which have limited distribution.
The Zangezur pear(Pyrus zangezura), mixed tulip (Tulipa confusa), Zangezur Pennycress (Thlaspi zangezurum), a Caucasian endemic Transcaucasian snowdrop (Galanthus tsanscaucasicus), an Armenian endemic St. John’s wort (Hypericum eleonorae), Zangezur ringflower (Symphyandra zangezura), Voronov’s primula (Primula woronovii), euonymus (Euonymus velutina) and others are local plants registered in the Red Data Book of Armenia.
The pther species from the Red Data Book, including tress, are walnut (Juglans regia), oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), Arax oak (Quercus araxina), silk vine (Periploca graeca), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), an endemic of Armenian Highland Heracleum trachyloma and others.
Mild climate and numerous secluded canyons shelter the species from the past geological times and even the patches of Tertiary flora. The yew (Taxus baccata) grove providing habitat to the oldest Mediterranean plant species, pendulous sedge (Carex pendula), is an example of such refugium.
The reserve encompasses a small grove of the oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), the only one in southern Armenia.
The most common species in the reserve are those which act as the principal edificators of forest landscapes: Georgian and Caucasian oaks, Caucasian hornbeam, field, Georgian and Balkan maples, raywood ash, Caucasian and Georgian honeysuckles and some others.
Very rare relict species of ferms, southern adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum) and Crimean brake (Pteridium tauricum), grow here. Eighteen species of algae are recorded. The reserve is rich in endemic and relict species which have limited distribution.
The Zangezur pear(Pyrus zangezura), mixed tulip (Tulipa confusa), Zangezur Pennycress (Thlaspi zangezurum), a Caucasian endemic Transcaucasian snowdrop (Galanthus tsanscaucasicus), an Armenian endemic St. John’s wort (Hypericum eleonorae), Zangezur ringflower (Symphyandra zangezura), Voronov’s primula (Primula woronovii), euonymus (Euonymus velutina) and others are local plants registered in the Red Data Book of Armenia.
The pther species from the Red Data Book, including tress, are walnut (Juglans regia), oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), Arax oak (Quercus araxina), silk vine (Periploca graeca), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), an endemic of Armenian Highland Heracleum trachyloma and others.
Mild climate and numerous secluded canyons shelter the species from the past geological times and even the patches of Tertiary flora. The yew (Taxus baccata) grove providing habitat to the oldest Mediterranean plant species, pendulous sedge (Carex pendula), is an example of such refugium.
The reserve encompasses a small grove of the oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), the only one in southern Armenia.