Artemisia communities in arid zones of Uzbekistan (Central Asia)

Central Asia, and particularly the former Soviet Middle Asian countries, with more than 180 taxa (45 endemics), is one of the centers of origin and speciation of the genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae). Several species of this genus, mainly belonging to subgenus Seriphidium (Besser) Rouy, are shrubs that dominate the landscape and form large communities in arid (desertic, semidesertic, steppic, and other) zones of this region. Arid lands constitute approximately 90 percent of the territory of Uzbekistan, and there are approximately 40 Artemisia species. In this paper we present a characterization of some of these species (including six Central Asian endemics) and communities, with ecological, chorological (with a distribution map), biogeographical, cytogenetic, and chemical data. We also include some references to plant use and management in these areas.