Biological features of the rarest narrow-range plant species Potentilla porphyrantha Juz. (Rosaceae)

Abstract Potentilla porphyrantha Juz. ( Rosaceae) is a very rare stenotopic species, which area of distribution includes small subpopulations in Armenia, Nakhichevan and North Iran. It was assessed and listed in the Red Data Book of Armenia in the category Critically Endangered Species. The main threats for this species could be anthropogenic factors (mainly mining industry) and forecasted climate change. The purpose of this work was to identify the adaptive potential of the studied species and the possibility of its conservation in ex situ conditions as well reintroduction into nature, and to assess the threat to natural populations from predicted climate change. It was shown that in Armenia there is only one species from the section Persicae with pink flowers. In the first time karyology and palynology of this species were investigated, number of chromosomes and karyotype were find, as well in the first time pollen morphology was described and their fertility was estimated. Eco-physiological investigations allowed to estimate potential of species adaptation to new environmental conditions. Special attention was paid to possible adaptation of this species to forecasted climate change. All these investigations allowed us to elaborate methods for conservation, reproduction and reintroduction of Potentilla porphyrantha back to the nature.