Introduction of ornamental herbaceous plants native to the Eurasian steppes in Laboratory of Ornamental Plants, at Main Botanical Garden of Russian Academy of Science

Abstract

The steppes of Eurasia are promising donors for the introduction of ornamental plants. But when introduced to wetter regions, a number of species face the problem of their low ex situ stability. The purpose of the present work is to evaluate the results of the introduction of steppe species of ornamental herbaceous perennials in the Laboratory of ornamental plants (LOP) GBS RAS. The objects of the study are 84 species belonging to 53 genus from 23 families. In the introduction studies, two classical methods were used: the ecological-phytocenotic method and the method of generic complexes. To maintain the culture of some collections or their components, the method of ecotrons is also used. The analysis of the composition of the introduced species included in the modern collection fund of the LDR of the GBS RAS suggests that the most promising are groups of species with a wide response rate, which, in addition to steppe habitats, are confined to more remote ones. According to the results of long-term field experiments, the most stable species under long-term cultivation were identified. It is established that for a number of steppe species, long-term maintenance in culture is possible only with the use of a specially created substrate. Ex situ conservation of dry steppe species proper is extremely difficult and little practical. In MBG RAS Salvia stepposa Des.-Shost., Linum perenne L., Verbascum phoeniceum L., Dracocephalum ruyschiana L., Eremurus fuscus (O. Fedtsch.) Vved., Iris pumila L., I. scariosa Willd. ex Link, I. furcata Bieb., I. timofejewii Woronow, I. lutescens Lam. they were short-lived in the culture.