Gladiolus caucasicus

Across the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, the major threat to plants in the steppe and subalpine ecosystems is overgrazing and uncontrolled livestock grazing. Intensive grazing has resulted in reduced species diversity and habitat degradation, and secondary communities now occupy 80% of grasslands in the subalpine belt (CEPF 2003). However, it should be noted that some studies (e.g. Noy-Meir and Oron 2001) indicate that Iridaceae represent one of the groups of geophytes that respond positively to grazing pressure, even when intense. As such, further investigation is necessary to confirm that overgrazing constitutes a threat to this species. The species is grown at a number of botanical gardens worldwide (BGCI 2021) and it is listed among the Ornamental Plants from Russia and Adjacent States of the Former Soviet Union (Shulkina 2004); however, it is not known whether collection of wild plants represents a threat.

One germplasm accession is held by the Millennium Seed Bank in the UK and another is held by the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center in Ohio State University in the United States; both were collected from wild plants in Georgia (Genesys 2021, Millennium Seed Bank Partnership Data Warehouse 2021). Twenty-two botanical gardens are listed as sites of ex situ conservation for this species (BGCI 2021). The species has been recorded from the Ktsia-Tabatskuri Managed Reserve in Georgia, and may also occur in Kazbegi National Park in Georgia and Dautskij State Natural Zakaznik in Russia (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2021); passive conservation is presumed in these areas, but it is not known whether active management is practised.