Floristic study of Artemisia aucheri Boiss. rangelands in Isfahan Province, Iran

To investigate the Artemisia vegetation in Isfahan Province, two rangelands of Khorous Galu in the southwest and Ashan in the west of Isfahan were selected. These rangelands are mountainous with semiarid climate. In Khorous galu, 68 species belonging to 50 genera and 24 families were identified. Life forms included hemicryptophytes (39%), therophytes (27.5%), chamaephytes (19%), geophytes (13%) and phanerophytes (2%). Chrotypes existent in Khorous Galu were composed of 56 Irano-Turanian species, 3 Euro-Siberian-Irano-Turanian species, 4 Euro-Siberian-Irano-Turanian-Mediterranean species, 2 Irano-Turanian-Mediterranean species, 1 Irano-Turanian-Saharo-Sindian species and 1 cosmopolitan species. In Ashan area, 88 species belonging to 67 genera and 29 families were identified. Hemicryptophytes (39%), therophytes (28%), geophytes (17%), chamaephytes (15%) and phanerophytes (1%) were the life form composition of the region flora. 73 Irano-Turanian species, 7 Euro-Siberian-Irano-Turanian species, 4 Irano-Turanian-Mediterranean species, 1 Irano-Turanian-Mediterranean-Euro-Siberian species and 1 cosmopolitan species were identified. 2 species were recorded from Isfahan Province for the first time. With regard to the similarity of flora in both regions, that is due to effective similar environmental factors, a uniform management plan for A. aucheri rangelands in Isfahan Province could be selected.