Researchers from the Higher Plants Systematics Laboratory of the Institute of Botany PLE under the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan carried out a field expedition in the Guba and Gusar districts.

 

The main objectives of the expedition were to study the flora of Azerbaijan, collect materials for the new edition of the multi-volume publication Flora of Azerbaijan, enrich the Herbarium Fund, monitor rare and endangered plant species.

 

Under the leadership of Professor Aydın Asgarov, Head of the Laboratory, field studies were conducted in the high-mountain areas of the Guba district, including the villages of Griz, First and Second Nugedi, Kusnetgazma, the Gudyalchay river basin, as well as the Shahdag area and the villages of Laza and Anig in the Gusar District.

During the field surveys, numerous plant species occurring in beech-hornbeam forests, mountain meadows, rocky habitats and subalpine ecosystems were recorded. A total of 250 plant specimens representing 54 genera and 25 families were collected. Most of the collected specimens were preliminarily identified. Materials belonging to the genera Lactuca L., Campanula L., Teucrium L., Scrophularia L., Senecio L., and others were fixed and brought to the Institute for further anatomical and palynological studies. Monitoring data for several species included in the latest edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been collected, and this information will be taken into account for the next edition. In addition, the population status of nearly 10 rare plant species was assessed, and a database was established to support future monitoring activities. Several useful plant species (Chamaemelum sp., Stachys spectabilis Choisy ex DC.) with large reserves have been identified in the area.