The conservation status of endemic Fabaceae species in North Khorasan

The North Khorasan Province is a transitional region due to its location at the intersection of several phytogeographic regions that harbor diverse vegetation. In the present study, the conservation status of five endemic species of the province, including Astragalus razensis, A. neomaassoumianus, A. neoassadianus, Hedysarum paucifoliatum, and Onobrychis assadii are studied experimentally using IUCN criteria including Extent of Occurrence (EOO), Area of Occupancy (AOO) and size of population. The results showed that all of these species are restricted to type location. The mean average values of AOO were less than 5 Km2. These species are critically endangered taxa (CR). Among these species, A. neomaassouminaus and Onobrychis assadii are naturally protected from destructive factors like grazing. Considering the small populations of the studied species, protecting their natural habitats as in-situ conservation by the Natural Resources Organization and ex-situ conservation of these species' seeds in the Natural Resources Seed Bank of Iran is highly recommended.