The conservation status of Campanula lamondiae: a rare endemic species in Iran

Campanula lamondiae is a perennial, herbaceous and saxicolous species of Campanulaceae family. This species is endemic to Iran and has been introduced by Rechinger based on three specimens collected from the Hamza - Arab and Chang - Almas Mountains (Kurdistan province) and Mount Gheydar (Zanjan province). Recently, after about half a century, this species was rediscovered in three new locations in the southwestern mountains of Zanjan and was investigated in terms of conservation status. Based on IUCN guidelines, three criteria were used to evaluate the status of this species: extent of occurrence (EOO), area of occupancy (AOO) and size of populations. According to field survey and plot sampling, C. lamondiae occupies an area of 7.8 Km2. According to analysis by GeoCAT software (geocat.kew.org), the extent of occurrence was 3816 Km2. In order to conserve such an endemic and endangered species, seed collection and storage in natural resource gene bank and research on species regeneration methods seem necessary.