KGZ 24 Ak-Sai Key Biodiversity Area

Allium semenovii

Genus: Onion, family: Onion, order: Amaryllaceae, class: Monocots, division: Flowering.
Zoning: Allium semenovii is an Asian wild onion species native to Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Grows at altitudes of 2000–3000 m. Grows in alpine meadows.
Botanical description of the species: Perennial. Bulbs 1 or several on a short rhizome, weakly expressed, cylindrical, 0.75 - 1 cm wide, with brownish, almost reticulate fibrous shells. Petioles up to 50 cm tall.
The stem is thick, 10–35 cm tall, 1/3–1/2 covered with smooth leaf sheaths.
The leaves are flat, up to 15 mm wide, including 2–3, broadly linear, 5–12 mm wide, gradually narrowing towards the apex, grooved, smooth, slightly longer than the stem; The umbel is capitate, dense, rather multi-flowered, with unequal pedicels, which are slightly shorter or equal to the campanulate perianth, without bracts; The perianth lobes are shiny, golden-yellow, later turning red, 10-15 mm long, unequal, outer ones 1.5 times longer than the inner ones, lanceolate, elongated sharp, slightly jagged at the edges; Staminal filaments are 2 - 3 times shorter than the perianth, 1/2 with it and 3/4 fused with each other, above the fusion triangular-subulate, internal 2 times wider, usually bidentate;
The style, with 3 stigmas, does not protrude from the perianth. The capsule is almost 3 times shorter than the last one. Blooms in June - July.
Area. Central Asia (Tian Shan), Kashgaria.
Sources of information: https://ru.wikibrief.org/wiki/Allium_semenovii
http://fungi.su/articles.php?article_id=1526
Source of photo: https://www.plantarium.ru/page/view/item/2181.html



Taraxacum syrtorum

Genus: Dandelion, family: Compositae, order: Asteraceae, class: Dicotyledonous, division: Floral
Botanical description of the genus: Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of the species commonly known as dandelions. The plant thrives in temperate regions and can be found in yards, gardens, roadsides, crops, and many other habitats. Like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers clustered together into a complex flower head. Partly because of their abundance, along with the fact that dandelions are a generalist species, they are one of the most important early spring nectar sources for a wide range of pollinators.
Typically, the leaves are 50-250 mm long, simple, lobate-pinnately dissected and form a basal rosette above a central taproot. The flower heads are yellow-orange in color and are open during the day but closed at night. The heads grow singly on a broken stem (petiole), which is usually leafless and rises 10-100 mm above the leaves. The stems and leaves release white, milky latex when broken. The rosette can produce several flowering stems at the same time. The flower heads are 20-50 mm in diameter and consist entirely of ray inflorescences.
The flower heads mature into spherical seed heads containing many single-seeded fruits called achenes. Each achene is attached to a papilloma of thin hair-like material that allows it to be disseminated over long distances by the wind.
Sources of information: https://openfito.ru/vids/vid/70252
https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/en-ru.ru.6415fa22-65e9385b-fa343a8c-74722d776562/https/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraxacum
Source of photo: https://www.plantarium.ru/page/view/item/2181.html



Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)

Description: Much smaller than the gray crane. The general color of the plumage of the body is light gray, the head is black with a narrow gray "cap" and white feathers decorating behind the eyes, the shape of the head is more rounded than that of the Common Crane. The entire neck is black in front, with elongated black feathers hanging down to the chest. Juveniles are brownish and reddish-gray. Weight 2–3 kg, length 90–100 cm, wing 44.0–54.0 cm, wingspan 165–185 cm.
Biology: Nesting migratory bird. Inhabits steppe and semi-desert plains and foothills, often near water, sometimes nests in grain fields. Appears in March - early April in spring. A massive migration takes place in the foothills of the Western Tien Shan at the Chokpak Pass, through which flocks of up to several hundred and even thousands of birds fly day and night, in total more than 15 thousand cranes per season every year. Most birds observed from April 1 to April 20, and the last spring birds were recorded in mid-May, although in other regions the migration lasts until the end of May. Breeds in separate pairs not close to each other. The nest is located on bare ground or on ground with sparse vegetation and a few small stones. Clutch 1-3, usually 2 eggs occurs in late April - May. The female incubates the clutch for approximately one month from the date of laying the first egg, while the male guards the territory within a radius of up to 1.5 km around the nest. Chicks are born in late May - June, both parents take care of the offspring. Young birds begin to fly in late July - August. Autumn migration begins from the end of August, when the broods gather in flocks, and is not as impressive as the spring migration. Separate flocks fly through the mountains, but the number of each of them does not exceed 80-100 individuals. An unusual gathering of about 12,000 Demoiselle Cranes, stopping for rest, was observed on Kyzylkol Lake on September 7-8, 2005. On the Chokpak pass, the last autumn birds are observed at the end of October.
Source of information: https://birds.kg/v2taxon.php?s=100&l=ru
Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. E.I. Gavrilov. "Fauna and spreading of birds in Kazakhstan". Almaty, 1999. V.K. Ryabitsev. "Birds of the Urals, the Urals and Western Siberia". Ekaterinburg. Publishing House of the Ural University, 2000.