A synopsis of the segetal flora of the Saratov Province

Abstract

The publication presents a synopsis of the segetal flora of the Saratov Province. The list is based on the results of our own research over the years using the Herbarium of cultivated plants of the world, their wild relatives and weeds (WIR). For each species, the agrobiological group (according to the classification of weeds), the life form according to Christen Raunkiær, the ecological group in relation to moisture, as well as the occurrence in crops and floristic areas of the Province are indicated. To indicate the geographical distribution, we used the floristic zonation of the Saratov Province by Yuriy Bulany (2011). Saratov Province is situated in the southeast of European Russia, it spreads for 101240 km2 and is divided by the Volga river in almost equal parts, i.e. droughty Zavolzhye (Transvolga region) and Pravoberezhye (the Right Bank region) where the climate is more mild. The segetal flora includes 206 species of vascular plants belonging to 141 genera of 32 families. The families that lead in terms of the number of species are Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae and Chenopodiaceae, while such genera are Artemisia, Chenopodium, and Amaranthus. The highest occurrence and abundance are characteristic of Amaranthus retroflexus L., A blitoides S. Wats., Chenopodium album L., Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Convolvulus arvensis L., Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb. ex Prantl, Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv., Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit., Fallopia convolvulus (L.) Á. Löve, Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey., L. serriola L., Lamium amplexicaule L., Lappula patula (Lehm.) Menycharth., Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv., S. pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult., Sonchus arvensis L. The list for the Volga Left Bank Region is supplemented by Avena fatua L. and Fumaria vaillantii Loesel., while that for the Right Bank Region ‒ by Camelina microcarpa Andrz., Galeopsis ladanum L. and Persicaria lapathifolia (L.) Delarbre