Akhania daghestanica (Bunge) Sukhor., 2022

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Fedorova, Alina V., Kushunina, Maria & Mavrodiev, Evgeny V., 2022, Akhania, a new genus for Salsola daghestanica, Caroxylon canescens and C. carpathum (Salsoloideae, Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae), PhytoKeys 211, pp. 45-61 : 45

1. Akhania daghestanica (Bunge) Sukhor. comb. nov.

Noaea daghestanica ≡ Noaea daghestanica Bunge, Anabas. Rev. [ Mèm. Acad. Sci. Pétersb., sér. 7, 4(11)]: 26 (1862).

Salsola daghestanica ≡ Salsola daghestanica (Bunge) Turcz. ex Trautv., Increm. Fl. Phaenog. Ross. 649. 1883; Trautv., Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 9(1): 133 (1884).

Salsola daghestanica ≡ Salsola daghestanica (Bunge) Czern. ex Lipsky, Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 14(2): 295 (1897) isonym.

Holotype.

Caucasus orientalis, provincia Daghestan, fl., Patritzky s.n. (KW, isotype - LE!).

Distribution.

A local endemic to Dagestan Republic, Russia (Fig. 3 ).

Habitat.

The species is found in open undisturbed habitats, primarily on grassy hills and mountain slopes and screes, at altitudes 500-1200 m a.s.l. It prefers lightly saline and gypsum-enriched soils.

Phenology.

Flowering - June-July, fruiting - October.

Conservation status.

Akhania daghestanica has an estimated extent of occurrence of 8,403 km2 (which would place the species in the Vulnerable (VU) category according to IUCN (2021)), and an area of occupancy of 112 km2 (which would place it in Endangered, EN). Approximately half of the records are dated later than the 1980s ( Murtazaliev 2009, 2016; Magomedova et al. 2016; see also Fig. 4 , Appendix 1), and the species is likely undercollected, as many Chenopodiaceae are. Therefore, there is no direct evidence of declining population size and fluctuations. However, since the species is found only in natural habitats, it can be threatened by cattle grazing and agriculture. Due to its restricted distribution and possible habitat loss in the future, the species qualifies to be assigned preliminary conservation status of Vulnerable (VU), based on criterion B1 b(iii) of the IUCN Red List categories and criteria ( IUCN 2021).

Figures

Figure 3. The distribution area of Akhania daghestanica. The insert map shows the location of Dagestan Republic (colored in red).

Figure 4. Morphological differences between Akhania and Caroxylon A non-gibbous leaf base in Akhania daghestanica B gibbous leaf base in Caroxylon laricinum C anther of Akhania daghestanica with a large appendage (vesicle) D anther of Caroxylon laricinum with a small appendage. Abbreviations: a - anther appendage, th - thecae. Scale bar: 1 mm. Black arrows indicate the leaf base.