Abstract
Small native populations of the Siberian dwarf pine Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel and bristle-pointed iris Iris setosa Pall. ex Link were discovered recently on Kildin Island located near the Kola Peninsula in the Barents Sea. Both species' records are from a natural landscape, and there is no evidence for their introduction by humans. Kildin Island is 3200km away from the typical range of the species. The discovery may have remained unnoticed for a long time because the island's interior remained relatively unexplored compared to its seashores. It is a result of a recent conservation assessment of the island as a whole, aiming to reveal habitats of threatened species and other subjects of conservation value. The occurrence of the two species may represent a glacial relict, but a good explanation of their origin is not available so far. This discovery may help to better understand the ecological history of the boreal zone of Eurasia.
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