Protection of Some Rare and Critically Threatened Medicinal Plants in The Azerbaijan Flora

Abstract

The flora of Azerbaijan differs by its great variety. One hundred and fifty families comprising of 1000 genera and 4700 species make 70 % of Caucasus flora. Out of which more than 1400 species have medicinal (315 species – alkaloids, 150 species – coumarins, 1000 – essential oils, and flavanoids). In the Middle Ages 300 wild-growing species were used for treatment in Azerbaijan medicine; now only 135 species have access in the State Pharmacopeia.

The plants are continuously increased at a result of in-situ conservations of medicinal plants. Their decrease has been prognosticated preliminarily. It was realized that young and generative development of the vegetable specimen in the populations belonged to Urtica dioica L. The amount of the specimen at cinil and subcinil phases in the Аstrаgаlus dаsyаnthus Pаll. species was twice more than it was in immature and generative phases of the plant that cause gradual decrease of these populations. Restoration activities should be carried out for in-situ conservation of such plants.

The article is for the conservation and protection of medicinal plants of the region. Methods of population awareness and education of students, teachers and local people is ecology recommended along with the administrative measures.