Bylov's Milk Vetch
CR

Bylov's Milk Vetch

Astragalus bylowae

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (с) mustafa gökmen, все права защищены, загрузил mustafa gökmen

Overview

Astragalus ornithopodioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to west and north Iran, the South Caucasus (Transcaucasus) and Turkey. It was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1783. Under the synonym Astragalus bylowae, a population occurring in Armenia was assessed as "vulnerable" in 2006.

Astragalus bylowae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. The species is particularly vulnerable to grazing pressure from livestock, which degrades the specialized soil conditions it requires. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the delicate moisture balance of its habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered legume occupies specialized alkaline soils in semi-arid grasslands and shrublands. It typically grows in areas with specific soil chemistry and drainage conditions that support its narrow ecological requirements.

Grassland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recovery

Other threatened species in FABACEAE

VU

Lonchocarpus crassispermus

Declining
CR

Machaerium orthocarpum

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Senna saeri

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VU

Senna viciifolia

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Threatened in Armenia

Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
Asian HoubaraVU

Asian Houbara

Chlamydotis macqueenii

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Blind SnailVU

Blind Snail

Cecilioides acicula

Unknown
EN

Zangezurian Cornflower

Psephellus zangezuri

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Bylov's Milk Vetch classified as Critically Endangered?
Bylov's Milk Vetch is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Astragalus bylowae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. The species is particularly vulnerable to grazing pressure from livestock, which degrades the specialized soil conditions it requires. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the delicate moisture balance of its habitat.
Where does Bylov's Milk Vetch live?
Bylov's Milk Vetch occurs in Armenia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Bylov's Milk Vetch?
The main threats to Bylov's Milk Vetch are 2.1, 2.3, 5.3, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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