Employees of Geobotany and Biomorphology and Phytointroduction departments of the Institute of Botany of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan conducted a joint expedition to research the vegetation and rare plant species in the mud volcanoes located in the Gobustan district.

The expedition aimed at studying the vegetation in and around  the mud volcanoes located in the territory of Gobustan district, monitoring species diversity, searching for rare species, taking their GPS coordinates, studying the current condition of their coenopopulations, and conducting other phytocenological studies.

The early-spring flora existing in the areas under study was determined. Seepweed (Suaedeta) and wormwood (Artemiseta) formation groups belonging to the semi-desert vegetation type, which are considered winter pastures, were determined

A rare species, Tulipa biflora, was discovered on the territory of the volcanoes. Their ages were studied, and current status was assessed.  Botanists note that despite the positive progress of natural regeneration of species, the grazing of small-horned and global warming have a negative effect on the development of rare species.

It should be noted that the results of the expedition can be used in the inventory of the vegetation of Azerbaijan, in geobotanical zoning, in compiling various geobotanical maps and in studying the dynamics of discovered rare species.