New plant species discovered in western Kazakhstan’s salt dome
Ivanov’s Astragalus identified by Kazakh and Russian scientists in Atyrau region’s Inder district
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — A team of Kazakh and Russian scientists has discovered a plant species in the Inder district of Kazakhstan’s Atyrau region, marking a rare botanical find in the country’s arid western steppe.
The species, a small semi-shrub, has been named Ivanov’s Astragalus in honor of Vsevolod Ivanov, a prominent botanist and director of the Geobotany School at Makhambet Utemisov West Kazakhstan University.
The plant was identified during the ongoing Inder-2025 international scientific expedition led by Professor Aleksey Laktionov of Tatishchev Astrakhan State University, Kazinform News Agency reported.
According to Laktionov, the plant grows exclusively in the unique ecosystem of the Inder Salt Dome. The first herbarium specimen has been cataloged at the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg and entered into the international botanical database.
“Ivanov’s Astragalus is a low-lying semi-shrub, only 5 to 10 centimeters tall, with pink-salmon colored inflorescence measuring 5 to 8 centimeters,” Laktionov said. “Its fruit is an ovoid-shaped pod, containing up to 25 seeds.”
The Astragalus genus is known to include around 5,000 species globally, many of which are studied for their medicinal properties. Laktionov noted that ancient Scythians once referred to astragalus as the “herb of immortality,” and modern research suggests potential uses in strengthening the immune system and treating cardiovascular diseases and tumors.
He added that compounds in the plant may help produce interferon, an antiviral agent that enhances the body’s resistance to illnesses such as colds, flu, and bronchitis, while also supporting liver function, regulating blood pressure, and lowering blood sugar levels.
The discovery was made by a team including scientists from Astrakhan State University, Makhambet Utemisov West Kazakhstan University, and the Botanical Garden of the Uralsk Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It follows a separate recent finding of two new spider species in southern Kazakhstan, further underscoring the region’s biodiversity potential.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
