A Chorological and Endemism Analysis of the Central Alborz Protected Area Flora: The Slopes of Welwesht, Dahla, and Azadkouh

The study of flora characteristics and their relationship with ecological factors in habitats has a particular importance in protected areas. This study aimed to examine the chorological and endemism of the Central Alborz protected area flora. The study area included the slopes of Welwesht, Dahla, and Azadkouh heights in the protected area of Central Alborz, Mazandaran province, Iran. The total number of collected and identified taxa was 331, which belonged to 197 genera and 46 families. During the floristic studies of the region, Nepeta azadkouhensis Saberamoli from Lamiaceae family was identified and introduced as a new species. About 49.25% of taxa were hemicryptophytes, 57.40% of all species belonged to Irano-Turanian chorotype. Forty-six taxa, equal to 13.9% of all taxa, were endemic to Iran. Moreover, 37 species, equal to 82.22% of endemic species, belonged to the vegetation zone of Irano-Turanian. The habitat of mountain steppes, which included mainly grasses and cushion-shaped plants with 24.47% of the total taxa, had the highest species richness. The results of the species richness study in the altitude classes of the endemic taxa showed that more than 70% of the taxa were located in medium to semi-high habitats. The study of the presence of endemic species in vegetation elements confirms the dominance of the Irano-Turanian vegetation zone in the region, reflecting the significant presence and influence of European-Siberian elements.