Ecological and Phenological Study on Ferulago angulata in the Hezar Mountains and Bondar Henza, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

In order to study of ecological and phenological traits of Ferulago angulata as<br />an important medicinal plant, this research was conducted in Hezar Mountains and<br />Bondareh Henza in Kerman province, Iran. Random samples of this plant were taken and<br />their vegetation habitat conditions and their growth characteristics including height of<br />collar leaves, height of flower stem, flower stem number and forage production were<br />recorded and categorized. Physical and chemical soil characteristics (soil texture, acidity,<br />soil Electrical Conductivity (EC), absorbable phosphorus and potassium, and the percent of<br />organic carbon) were examined by monthly interval at a soil depth of 30 cm from March to<br />September. All characteristics were analyzed using factorial experiment with two factors of<br />sites and months. Results showed that this species grow quite satisfactorily in the foothills<br />elevation of 2750 m to 3540 m above sea level as long as it received more than 200 mm<br />annual precipitation. The soil EC was less than 1 ds/m and acidity was ranged from 7.5 to<br />7.8. Canopy cover in Henza and Babzangi were 15.7% and 6.1%, respectively. Results<br />showed that growth indices as height of collar leaves and forage production were high at<br />the Babzangi sites, while the height of flower stem was important in Henza. For<br />phenological process, the results indicated that plant germination started from the end of<br />March-April and continued to the end of summer; flowering started from May-June;<br />seeding completed in June-July and dried out completely by end of summer. Moreover in<br />winter, the plants were dormant.