Sphagnum mosses (Sphagnaceae, Bryophyta) of lake-mire complex of Verkhnyaya Balkariya (Central Caucasus)

Abstract

The greatest species diversity of Sphagnum mosses for the Central Caucasus was found in the flora of Sphagnum floating mires in the vicinity of the settlement Verkhnyaya Balkaria, Cherekskiy District, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, where 12 species of Sphagnum were recorded: Sphagnum angustifolium, S. balticum, S. fallax, S. flexuosum, S. fuscum, S. girgensohnii, S. magellanicum s. l., S. obtusum, S. palustre, S. papillosum, S. squarrosum, S. teres. The list of species collected by authors [7 VII 2017 Украинская, Якимов (Ukrainskaya, Yakimov)] with specimen numbers, references on collecting sites (table 1), frequency and data on distribution in Caucasus is provided. Sphagnum obtusum and S. papillosum are recorded for the first time for the Russian Caucasus, S. flexuosum is recorded for the first time for Kabardino-Balkaria. Distribution of every recorded Sphagnum species within the Sphagnum floating mire complex is discussed. The associated mosses, including rare for the mire communities of the Caucasus Meesia triquetra, Polytrichum commune, Tetraplodon mnioides, Warnstorfia fluitans, W. pseudostraminea are listed. It is suggested to include this lake-mire complex in the Kabardino-Balkaria Nature Reserve.