Complete List of Rare Species
As a specially protected natural area, Altyn-Emel National Park plays a vital role in preserving the gene pool of rare plants, 31 of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan:
- Pale-flowered Fritillary* — Fritillaria pallidiflora
- Albert's Tulip* — Tulipa alberti
- Kolpakowsky's Tulip* — Tulipa kolpakovskiana
- Short-stemmed Tulip* — Tulipa brachystemon
- Pruinose Poplar (Turanga)* — Populus pruinosa
- Caucasian Hackberry (Ironwood)* — Celtis caucasica
- Wittrock's Rhubarb* — Rheum wittrockii
- Muslim's Catchfly* — Silene muslimii
- Hybrid Peony (Mary's Root)* — Paeonia hybrida
- Vitaliy's Columbine* — Aquilegia vitalii
- Falconer's Liverleaf* — Hepatica falconeri
- Altai Gymnospermium* — Gymnospermium altaicum
- Ili Barberry* — Berberis iliensis
- Arrow-leaved Stroganovia* — Stroganovia sagittata
- Golden Root* — Rhodiola rosea
- Sievers' Apple* — Malus sieversii
- Wild Apricot (Uryuk)* — Armeniaca vulgaris
- Dzungarian Chesneya* — Chesneya dshungarica
- Dzhim Milkvetch* — Astragalus dshimensis
- Dzungarian Haplophyllum* — Haplophyllum dshungaricum
- Herder's Prangos* — Prangos herderi
- Rock Silaus* — Silaus saxatilis
- Goloskokov's Pilopleura* — Pilopleura goloskokovii
- Ili Ferula (Ilan)* — Ferula iliensis
- Michelson's Sea Lavender* — Limonium michelsonii
- Michael's Lepechiniella* — Lepechiniella michaelis
- Ili Honeysuckle* — Lonicera iliensis
- Shrubby Asterothamnus* — Asterothamnus fruticosus
- Cornflower-like Plagyobasis* — Plagyobasis centauroides
- Kolpakowsky's Iridodictyum* — Iridodictyum kolpakowskianum
- Alatau Crocus* — Crocus alatavicus
Alatau Crocus* — Crocus alatavicus.
A spring ephemeroid. Grows in steppes and loess foothills. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Kolpakowsky's Iridodictyum* — Iridodictyum kolpakowskianum.
Named by botanist E.L. Regel in honor of G.A. Kolpakowsky, the first Governor-General of Semirechye (Zhetysu). Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
It is characterized by an early and short growing season.
Kolpakowsky's Tulip* — Tulipa kolpakowskiana.
Grows in steppes and shrub thickets. Named by botanist E.L. Regel in honor of G.A. Kolpakowsky, the first Governor-General of Semirechye (Zhetysu). Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Albert's Tulip* — Tulipa alberti.
Grows on rocky slopes of low mountains and in stony piedmont deserts. Described by botanist E.L. Regel from specimens collected in the Karatau Mountains by his son, Albert Regel. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
It is distinguished by its bright red or yellow color.
Wild Apricot (Uryuk)* — Armeniaca vulgaris.
Grows on rocky slopes and in deciduous forests; it is also cultivated in the gardens of Semirechye (Zhetysu). Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan as a species with a declining range and population.
Hybrid Peony (Mary's Root)* — Paeonia hybrida.
Grows in meadow steppes, shrub thickets, and mountain river valleys. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Caucasian Hackberry (Ironwood)* — Celtis caucasica.
Grows on rocky slopes and in river valleys of the Sholak and Degeres mountains. Its wood is hard, sinks in water, and is resistant to decay; in the past, it was used for cart wheels and tools. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Relicts
The Altyn-Emel National Park is also home to relict plants that survived the Ice Age. These include the Dzhim Milkvetch, the Ili Ferula, and the park's landscape-defining tree — the Turanga.
Dzhim Milkvetch* — Astragalus dshimensis.
Grows on rocky slopes and in canyons, at altitudes of 1000–1400 m above sea level. A poorly studied and extremely rare relict. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Ili Ferula (Ilan)* — Ferula iliensis.
Grows in inter-hill hollows and mountain pediments on gravelly-clay soil. Widely used for medicinal purposes by the local population. This relict is threatened with extinction due to its limited and diffuse distribution and small population size. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
Pruinose Poplar (Turanga)* — Populus pruinosa.
Grows along riverbanks and oxbow lakes, forming tugai forests and woodlands. It is one of the dominant landscape plants of the Ili River valley. Listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.
