Floristic Study of Khan-Gormaz Protected Area in Hamadan Province, Iran

Khan-Gormaz protected area with an area of 5000 ha, is located in west of Iran (south Hamadan province), between 34°35ʹ and 34°40ʹ northern latitudes and 48°10ʹ and 48°15ʹ eastern longitudes, with an altitude ranging from 1580 to 2853 m. The complicated topography and habitat heterogeneity, in addition to influencing the area by cold semi-arid climate at area and precipitation regime Mediterranean climate type caused formation of diverse vegetation types including herbaceous, grassland and meadows, cliff, shrub, tree and hydrophilic vegetation. This study carried out for determination and discrimination of vegetation type and flora vegetation by Eco-phytosociology method. Flora of this area was determined by using available references. Based on collection we encountered about 213 specimens that belonging to 164 genera and 45 families. The largest families in the area are Asteraceae (24 genera), Brassicaceae (17 genera), Lamiaceae (16 genera), Poaceae (15 genera) and Apiaceae (10 genera). The floristic composition of the area is strongly influenced by large number of Euro-Siberian (boreal) elements in the mesic parts and Irano-Turanian elements in the montane parts of the area. The life form spectrum was characterized according Raunkiers system. The life form spectrum observed was: Hemichryptophyte (48.07%), Therophyte (29.83%), Geophyte (9.94%), Chamaephyte (8.29%) and Phanerophyte (3.87%). The largest phytocory distribution species is Irano-Turanian (37.50%). © 2010 Friends Science Publishers