New species and new locations of rare and protected plants of the Orel Region

Abstract

Orel Region belongs to the agricultural regions, where 85 % of the ground is used for agricultural purposes, and natural vegetation accounts for 15 %. In this regard, the problems of conservation of natural biodiversity and identification of new and rare plants of the Orel Region are urgent. The aim of the work is to identify new species and new locations of rare plants in the western part of the Orel Region. In 2017, the flora of the western part of the region was studied. The method of grid mapping was used to identify new species and new locations of rare plants. The basis for the grid of squares was the degree grid. The territory of eight districts of the western part of the region (Bolkhovsky, Dmitrovsky, Znamensky, Soskovsky, Trosnyansky, Uritsky, Hotynetsky, Shablykinsky) became part of eight 80-ten cells 10’ × 5’ (10’ in longitude and 5’ in latitude). The route method and the method of geobotanical descriptions were used in the field research. In total, 80 floristic and 373 geobotanical descriptions were made. As a result, four new vascular plant species for the flora of the Orel Region were identified (Dipsacus lacinatus, Rosa dimorpha, Wolffia globosa, Zizania aquatica), as well as 22 new locations of 9 species listed in the Red Data Book of the Orel Region (Aconitum lasiostomum, Campanula latifolia, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis grandiflora, Epipactis helleborine, Gentiana cruciata, Nymphaea candida, Scorzonera purpurea, Trapa natans). For the first time, the Digitalis grandiflora and Epipactis helleborine were marked for Soskovsky district; Nymphaea candida – for the Trosnyansky district.

Keywords

• the red book of the orel region; floristic finds; net mapping