Autecology of Ferula stenocarpa boiss. & Hausskn in Khuzestan Province, Iran

Ferula stenocarpa from Apiaceae family is a perennial plant with about 2 meters height, which grows in the high temperature of sudanian regions. This research was aimed to investigate the autecology of an endemic plant to Iran, Ferula stenocarpa, in Khuzestan province. Initially, the habitat map was prepared and characteristics of the species habitat including topography, climate, soil properties, companion species, palynology, anatomical studies were determined. In addition, the phenology stage and root system was investigated. The results show that this species is distributed in the altitudes ranging from 159 to 850 m.a.s.l., with the mean annual precipitation of 112.4 to 482.9 millimeters and mean annual temperature of 24.47 to 25.93 ºC. This plant species is found in habitats with different topographic aspects and no slope limitations with slopes 40-60% as preferred slopes. Soil texture was loam, clay loam and silty loam, weak alkaline, and poor in phosphorus and nitrogen. Electrical Conductivity is 1-0.72 ds/m and soil pH of 7.47-7.85. The vegetative growth of this species starts from mid-March. The flowers appear in April and seeds ripen in late on May. The plant propagates only by seeds. Pollen is prolate, elliptic and tricolporate. The destruction of natural habitats of this plant due to overgrazing causes that we find this plant as individual and scattered spots in their natural habitat.