The conservation status of Levisticum officinale

Levisticum officinale is a perennial herb, belonging to Apiaceae family. In Iran, this valuable species just grows in a small area of Hezar Mountains, located in South of Kerman province. 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. Although this species is cultivated in some European countries, our results showed that it grows wild in the form of narrow and separate spots on the habitat, and its area of occupancy is 0.13 square kilometers in Iran. According to global standards for nature conservation and based on our results, Levisticum officinale is defined as a Critically Endangered (CR) species in Iran. The studies have shown that excessive exploitation, over-harvesting of young plants, and prolonged dry climate are the main threats to this species.