یونس عصری - Department of Botany, Research Institute of Forests & Rangelands, Tehran, P.O.Box ۱۳۱۸۵-۱۱۶ (E-mail: asri@rifr-ac.ir).

Mouteh Refuge covers an area of ۲۰۰,۰۰۰ hectars situated in the northwest of Meymeh and southwest of Delijan. Minimum and maximum of altitude are ۱۸۰۰ and ۳۰۰۰ m, respectively. The Refuge presents a variety of habitats, including stony slopes, pedimont plains, alluvial plains, salt marshes, saline rivers and springs.A total of ۵۸۰ species and subspecific taxa were identified based on plant samples collected in several years. They are including two gymnosperms, ۵۰۲ dicotyledones and ۷۶ monocotyledones. Altogether, ۶۳ families and ۲۸۷ genera are known from the area. The following families have the highest number of species: Asteraceae (۱۴.۳ %), Fabaceae (۱۰.۲ %), Brassicaceae (۹.۵ %), Poaceae (۷.۹ %), Chenopodiaceae (۷.۶ %), Caryophyllaceae (۵.۹ %) and Lamiaceae (۵.۹ %). Therophytes and hemicryptophytes each one with ۲۰۹ species (۳۶ %) are the most frequent life forms of the Refuge. The distributions of ۴۴۹ species (۷۷.۴ %) are restricted to Irano-Turanian region.

Flora, life form, chorotype, Artemisia steppe, protected area