Wildflower meadows of Kyrgyzstan A tour of Kyrgyzstan between 18th June and 4th July 2018 Andrea Topalovic Arthan Contents About the author .................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................. 5 Aims and objectives .............................................................................................................. 6 Summary of locations visited ................................................................................................. 6 Itinerary ................................................................................................................................. 7 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8 Overview of the flora of Kyrgyzstan ......................................................................................14 Climate .................................................................................................................................15 North-east Kyrgyzstan ..........................................................................................................16 Chong Kemin National Park .................................................................................................16 Chong Kemin Valley .............................................................................................................21 Chong Say Gorge .................................................................................................................26 Temir Kanat ..........................................................................................................................29 Skazka Valley – Issyk Kul .....................................................................................................31 Skazka Valley Gorge ............................................................................................................34 Burana .................................................................................................................................37 Alamedin National Park ........................................................................................................38 Chychkan Gorge ..................................................................................................................38 Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve ................................................................................................40 Arslanbob .............................................................................................................................43 Osh ......................................................................................................................................45 Summary and conclusions ...................................................................................................47 Total Subsistence Costs .......................................................................................................48 References/Bibliography ......................................................................................................50 2 Table of figures Figure 1: Travel route through Kyrgyzstan. ............................................................................ 6 Figure 2: Itinerary of locations visited. ................................................................................... 7 Figure 3: A map of central Asia. ............................................................................................ 8 Figure 4: A map of the territorial and administrative divisions of Kyrgyzstan. ......................... 8 Figure 5: A traditional yurt. .................................................................................................... 9 Figure 6: The interior of a yurt. .............................................................................................10 Figure 7: The flag of the Kyrgyz Republic and the cross representing the ceiling of a yurt. ...10 Figure 8: A map of the mountain ranges of Kyrgyzstan. .......................................................11 Figure 9: The White House (the President’s residence). .......................................................12 Figure 10: One of many small city squares. ..........................................................................12 Figure 11: A public park with mature poplar trees to provide much needed shade. ..............12 Figure 12: A boulevard-style road framed with ash trees and automatic irrigation. ...............12 Figure 13: A typical view of the outskirts of Bishkek. ............................................................13 Figure 14: The Osh Bazaar. .................................................................................................13 Figure 15: A typical steppe in Kyrgyzstan. ............................................................................14 Figure 16: The climate patterns in Kyrgyzstan. .....................................................................16 Figure 17: The fields at lower altitudes on the way to Chong Kemin Valley. .........................17 Figure 18: Salvia deserta and Hypericum perforatum. ..........................................................17 Figure 19: Apocynum lancifolium. .........................................................................................17 Figure 20: Agrimonia asiatica. ..............................................................................................17 Figure 21: Limonium gmelinii. ...............................................................................................18 Figure 22: Verbascum songaricum. ......................................................................................18 Figure 23: Achillea wilhelmsii. ...............................................................................................18 Figure 24: Onopordum acanthium. .......................................................................................19 Figure 25: Acer semenovii. ...................................................................................................19 Figure 26: On the way Chong Kemin Valley – a view of the higher altitudes. ........................19 Figure 27: A traditional Kyrgyz yurt. ......................................................................................20 Figure 28: Lunch served in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt. ............................................................20 Figure 29: Views of the village from the valley. .....................................................................20 Figure 30: A field cultivated with potatoes in Chong Kemin Valley. .......................................21 Figure 31: Cultivating a field. ................................................................................................22 Figure 32: Fields of Onobrychis arenaria. .............................................................................22 Figure 33: A typical meadow view in the Chong Kemin Valley. .............................................23 Figure 34: An Artemisa steppe. ............................................................................................24 Figure 35: Papaver pavoninum. ............................................................................................24 Figure 36: Thymus spp. ........................................................................................................24 Figure 37: Trees and shrubs in the higher altitudes and also along the stream. ...................25 Figure 38: Views of the Chong Say Gorge (Onopordum acanthium in the foreground). ........26 Figure 39: Rosa sp. ..............................................................................................................26 Figure 40: Malus sp. .............................................................................................................26 Figure 41: Verbascum songaricum. ......................................................................................27 Figure 42: Achillea wilhelmsii. ...............................................................................................27 Figure 43: Hyoscyamus pusillus. ..........................................................................................27 Figure 44: Eremostachys molucelloides. ..............................................................................28 Figure 45: Dodartia sp. .........................................................................................................28 Figure 46: Limonium sp. .......................................................................................................28 Figure 47: Echium vulgare. ...................................................................................................28 3 Figure 48: Plant diversity on the dry hills. .............................................................................28 Figure 49: Lindelofia stylosa. ................................................................................................29 Figure 50: Dactylorhiza salina and D. umbrosa. ...................................................................29 Figure 51: Codonopsis clematidea. ......................................................................................29 Figure 52: Primula algida. .....................................................................................................29 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