Great Botanical Garden Research Articles

Nomenclatural standards of iris cultivars bred at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the V.L. Komarov Botanical Institute of RAS

Nomenclatural standards of five iris cultivars, namely ‘Andrey Kniazev’, ‘Eduard Regel’, ‘Marishka’, ‘Temuri’, and ‘Vitosha’ bred at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the V.L. Komarov Botanical Institute of RAS have been prepared in accordance with the rules and recommendations outlined in the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, and in the VIR methodological guidelines for the vegetatively propagated plants. Each nomenclatural standard is one herbarium sheet with all parts of a flowering plant accompanied by photos of flowers. Nomenclatural standards are registered in the VIR Herbarium database and deposited in the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, their Wild Relatives and Weeds (WIR) at the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources.

Dynamics of spontaneous flora of the Peter the Great BotanicaL Garden

About 30 years ago, the species composition of herbaceous plants on the territory of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden was studied. It has changed over the years, and it is necessary to give assessment to this process. Currently, the problem of the appearance and dispersal of invasive plant species, most of which are “escapees” from cultivation, is quite acute in Russia and beyond. The purpose of the research is to identify and analyze changes in the species composition of the spontaneous flora of herbaceous plants in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden over the past 30 years. The objectives of the study included assessing changes in the number of certain alien plant species and their invasive potential. As a result of the inventory, 355 species of vascular plants from 54 families were identified in the modern spontaneous flora of the botanical garden. Among them, the indigenous fraction comprises 248 plant species (70.3%). Compared to 1994, the number of species in the flora of the botanical garden increased by 20%. There was an increase in the group of species escaped from cultivation by 50%, but their abundance does not yet cause concern and only 4 species are recognized as potentially invasive on the territory of the botanical garden.

Methodology for training tour guides to conduct botanical excursions

Due to the increase in domestic tourist flows, Russian botanical gardens have now become a popular place for educational leisure among Russians. The most common form of interaction with visitors to the botanical garden is the «botanical excursion». The specifics of the «botanical excursion» require the presence of full-time highly qualified personnel to conduct it. The definition of a «botanical excursion» formulated in this study reveals the features and purpose of a highly specialized tour of the botanical garden, linking the botanical collections and the personality of the guide. This study examines the practical experience of teaching guides in one of the largest and oldest institutions in Russia, the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint Petersburg). The author's method of professional training of guides for conducting botanical excursions is described. The authors of the methodology determined the indicators, highlighted the criteria and levels of professional skill of the guide. The presented author's method of professional training of guides, developed in the conditions of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden, has prospects for practical implementation both at the sites of the botanical gardens of Russia and in institutions conducting narrow-profile excursion activities.

PROFILING SCREENING OF 55 SPECIES OF THE GENUS EUPHORBIA L. (EUPHORBIACEAE) AS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF ELLAGIC ACID

Methanol extracts from the leaves of 55 species, belonging to 4 subgenera and 16 subsection of genus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) have been screened for presence of ellagic acid (EA). EA was quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in fresh plant material Euphorbia sp. growing in Russia and Kyrgyzstan in the wild and in indoor and outdoor collections of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint-Petersburg). EA was detected in the extracts of 17 species of tree subgenera. In subgenus Althymalus Neck. Ex Rchb. EA was detected in E. hamata (Haw.) Sweet (section Anthacanthae Lem.), in subgenus Chamaesyce Raf. – E. maculata L. (section Anisophyllum Roep.); in subgenus Esula Pers. This compound was found in representatives of sections Esula (Pers.) Dumort. (E. virgata Waldst. Et Kit.), Helioscopia Dumort. (E. alpina Ledeb., E. aristata Schmalh., E. condylocarpa M. Bieb., E. lucorum Rupr. ex Maxim., E. palustris L., E. procera M. Bieb., E. semivillosa (Prokh.) Kryl., E. squamosa Willd., E. stricta L.), Holophyllum (Prokh.) Prokh. (E. griffithii Hook. f., E. komaroviana Prokh., E. rupestris Ledeb.), Paralias Dumort. (E. taurinensis All.) and Pithyusa (Raf.) Lázaro (E. glareosa Pall. Ex M. Bieb.). In 38 EA was not detected, including all studies species of subgenus Euphorbia. For 10 species (E. alpina, E. glareosa, E. griffithii, E. hamata, E. lucorum, E. procera, E. rupestris, E. semivillosa, E. stricta and E. taurinensis) EA was detected for the first time. Highest EA amount was found in leaves of E. hamata (4100 ppm) and E. squamosa (4300 ppm).

Application of the Spores of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Lecanicillium Muscarium for Control of Adelgids on Conifers in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden

This article discusses the possibility of using the entomopathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium R. Zare & W. Gams (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against the fir adelgid Adelges pectinatae pectinatae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) and Siberian cedar adelgid Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) on the Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb., and pines Pinus sibirica Du Tour and Pinus banksiana Lamb. The blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungus L. muscarium strain G-033 VIZR, in the concentration of 5x107 spores/ml, showed a high efficiency on both of the species of adelgid. On the 17th day, the mortality of P. cembrae was 73% on P. sibirica and 61% on P. banksiana, and the mortality of the species A. pectinatae pectinatae on A. sibirica was 74%. The effect of the spore application had a prolonged effect over the next month on all treated trees.
 Keywords: entomopathogenic fungi, Lecanicillium muscarium, adelgid, conifers

Siberian plants in the collection «Alpine Slides» in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute of RAS

The article assesses the richness of the collection fund of Siberian plants that grew in the historical periodfrom 1954 to 1963 and grow in the modern period from 2011 to 2020 in the collection “Alpine Slides” of the Peter the GreatBotanical Garden. The main purpose of this article was to assess the preservation of the collection fund of Siberian andpartly Central Asian plants in the historical aspect. It was necessary to identify the plant species that are most resistant tocultivation in the conditions of St. Petersburg. As a result of the comparison, it was found that at present the collection fundof plants is quite poor, compared to the selected historical segment, and it needs to be replenished. The most stable in thecollection were 22 species, as they existed in the collection both in the selected time periods and exist at the present time.The age of individuals of individual species reaches almost 80 years – Brunnera sibirica, Bergenia × ornata, Actaea dahurica,A. simicifuga, Nepeta sibirica, Spodiopogon sibiricus and others. In the modern period of time, more than 20 species didnot pass the initial introduction test and existed in the collection for no more than 2–3 years. These include Viola altaica,Mertensia sibirica, Peucedanum baicalense, Orostachys thyrsiflora and others.

Some results of the introduction of useful plants of the flora of Siberia in the North-West of Russia

Some results of cultivation of Siberian flora species in culture at the introduction nursery of useful plantsof the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the BIN RAS, in St. Petersburg have been summed up. All species are classifiedaccording to biological resistance. The analysis of the introduction resistance of plants in Siberia showed that 83.3 % ofthe species adapted well to the new conditions of existence. According to the duration of the introduction experiment,all plants were divided into 5 groups. 37 % falls on the group of species, the life expectancy of which is more than 60years. 45 species of rare and endangered flora of Southern Siberia, grown in culture, have been identified, most of themcan be attributed to resistant (46.7 %) and highly resistant species (31.1 %). The maximum age of these plants in theexperiment reaches 68–84 years. The data obtained can be used to preserve and enrich regional flora and prepare materialfor repatriation work.

ON THE SEED RENEWAL OF TAMARIX RAMOSISSIMA LEDEB. IN THE COLLECTION ALPINARIUM OF PETER THE GREAT BOTANIC GARDEN

Information about Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. has been growing in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg since 1939. It reached 6.2 m in height at the age of 82. It is considered the most winter-hardy, characterized by long flowering and high decorative effect. The first flowering was noted in 1942, for a long time the plants only bloomed without tying the fruit. After the hot summer of 2010, fruits were first formed and self-seeding appeared in 2011-2012. This is a unique fact for such northern latitudes. The species can be recommended for landscaping and promote its culture further north. In the context of climate change and its warming at the beginning of the XXI century, constant monitoring and continuous phenological observations of Tamarix ramosissima are important.

ON THE PRODUCTION OF SEED PROGENY OF METASEQUOIA GLYPTOSTROBOIDES HU ET W. C. CHENG (TAXODIACEAE) IN ST. PETERSBURG

Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et W.C. Cheng has been grown in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the BIN RAS since 1952, where it was first introduced into cultivation in Russia. It is the most winter-hardy representative of the Taxodiaceae family suitable for open field culture in St. Petersburg. The best specimens reached 14.4 m in height with a trunk diameter of 29 cm at the age of 69 years. In 2018, seed production was recorded for the first time. Seed offspring were obtained in 2020. In the conditions of the warming of the climate of St. Petersburg in the first two decades of the 21st century, there is a surge in the generative ability of woody exotics, an increasing number of trees and shrubs are beginning to bear fruits and seeds.

The development level of ecological culture among pharmaceutical students in the experimental training conditions in Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the BIN RAS

Environmental education in botanical gardens that deals with the conservation and study of plant biodiversity and environmental protection can be successfully integrated into any level of education. A successful option for such integration can be considered an environmental project launched in 2021 for pharmaceutical students in Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. The paper describes an experiment to identify the nature of the leading motives and the direction of students behavior in environmentally significant situations using the value-normative methodology of G.E. Zalessky. Experimental data allowed us to determine the preliminary typology of the level of environmental culture of pharmaceutical students before the start of the project. The results of the experiment show that the students of Murmansk Medical College developed a slightly higher level of ecological culture than the students of Saint Petersburg Pharmaceutical College (24% and 16%, respectively). However, at the same time 33% of the students of Murmansk Medical College showed a low level of ecological culture, which is almost twice higher than the students of Saint Petersburg Pharmaceutical College (16%). According to the indicator of a high level of ecological culture, pharmaceutical students of both experimental groups approach the results of O.I. Saltykova among schoolchildren and significantly exceed the results of students of other specialties.

Methods of supporting the development of Phytophthora cinnamomi rands on representatives of the Ericaceae DC family. In the orangeries of the Botanical garden of Peter the Great

In recent years, in the orangeries of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden, the affection of representatives of the Ericaceae family, the genus rhododendron (Rhododendron (L.) oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi, has been growing. In the study of the rhizospheric soil of sick and healthy plants, a wide distribution of Phytophthora was found. representatives of this family. The dynamics of the spread of the disease from 2012 to 2019 is presented. The population of Phytophthora cinnamomi in the soils is unevenly distributed, changing its structure (abundance, survival, seasonality, life cycle) in accordance with various micro -phytocenoses. The population structure is governed by coenotic relationships with soil microorganisms. The Phytophthora cinnamomi population is “pulsating,” with a maximum population (in May-June) and a minimum in NovemberDecember. The creation of suppressive soils and suppression factors may serve as a preliminary strategy when creating measures to protect plants of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden. The results of studies of the effects of biological products (Vitaplan, Sternifag, Gliokladin) and fertilizers (Potassium humate, Ecofus) on the pathogen are presented. To increase immunity, resistance inducers (immunocytophyte, sillplant, chitosan) were used.

Biodiversity conservation in Botanical Gardens: collection of Cycadales Pers. ex Bercht. & J. Presl representatives in the greenhouses of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden (BIN RAS)

The role of Botanical Gardens in biodiversity conservation is considered. The analysis of the greenhouse collection of Cycadales representatives is carried out. Both the general characteristics of this group of plants (distribution, growth forms, reproduction, taxonomy) and the characteristics of the families and genera Cycadales presented in the collection of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden are given. In the greenhouses, 47 species of Cycadales belonging to 9 genera are grown, all species have a conservation status: CR - 7 species, EN - 10 species, VU - 6 species, NT - 16 species, LC - 8 species.

Introgressive-interspecies complex Musa basjoo sensu lato: results of genetic diversity research by molecular phylogeny methods

In this article, we compare the phylogenetic position of various specimens of the Japanese banana (Musa basjoo) originating from the greenhouses of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden of Peter the Great and from the Kyoto Garden using the analysis of marker sequences ITS1–5.8S rRNA–ITS2 and trnL–trnF. Samples of M. basjoo grown in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden originate from China and have some morphological differences from typical Japanese ones. In addition, we used sequences from the international GenBank database. According to the results of the analysis of ITS sequences, the M. basjoo samples form a single clade with M. itinerans and M. tonkinensis, possibly corresponding to the subsection in the section Musa. At the same time, M. basjoo from Peter the Great Botanical Garden differs in the primary sequence of the ITS1–5.8S rRNA–ITS2 from Japanese one forming a lowly supported clade with M. tonkinensis. Two M. basjoo samples collected in China, whose sequences are taken from the GenBank database, fall into a separate subclade within M. basjoo clade, possibly being a special species from this affinity group. According to the trnL–trnF chloroplast sequences, most of the M. basjoo samples also fall into the clade with M. itinerans. However, one M. basjoo specimen from the Genbank database is monophyletic with M. acuminata from a completely different clade. Possibly, the affinity group of M. basjoo is a compound hybrid complex containing plants that differ in the composition of the maternal genome.

The collection of the representatives of <i>Commelinaceae</i> Mirb. in greenhouses of Peter the Great Botanical Garden and features of its exposition

Collections of greenhouse plants of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the BIN RAS are very diverse and include more than 12500 taxa. Over the long history of the collection, certain principles of acquisition were formed: geographical, systematic, phylogenetic, environmental and morphological. For greenhouse collections, the presence of rare and endangered species, medicinal, food and economically important plants is very important. In addition to the correct approach to the selection of plants, you must also carefully consider the competent demonstration of the taxa presented. Plants that visitors can see in the exposition greenhouses should have a habit more or less corresponding to how these species look in natural conditions. In the case of blooming, decorative leaf species or cultivars, try to find an exposure option in which their decorative qualities will be presented most fully. The object of our study was representatives of Commelinaceae family. Among these plants, in addition to the well-known to us Tradescantia L. and Callisia Loefl., there are a large number of species and cultivars that are highly decorative, and there are also representatives with medicinal and environment-improving properties. The analysis of exposure options for plants of this group is carried out. The most suitable ones were selected depending on the structural features of the shoot system, and the severity of the decorative qualities of these plants. Data are provided on the results of processing cuttings of Tradescantia zebrina Bosse. retardants. These drugs should prevent the stretching of the shoots, lead to a thickening of the stem, an increase in the size of the leaf plate, more active growth of the roots. This experiment was aimed at reducing the time spent on maintaining the decorativeness of a number of species and cultivars of Commelinaceae grown in pots.

Seed quality of Aristolochia macrophylla Lam. and A. manshuriensis Kom. in St. Petersburg

Background. The study and mobilization of natural flora species in botanical gardens allow the curators to save biological resources of useful plant species, and recommend them for urban landscaping. In the flora of Russia, one species of a woody vine from the genus Aristolochia L. is A. manshuriensis Kom.; it is included in the Red Data Book of Russia.Methods The material for the study was A. macrophylla Lam. and A. manshuriensis from the collection of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden maintained by the Komarov Botanical Institute of the RAS. Winter hardiness was assessed; plant height, stem diameter, and crown diameter were measured. The sizes and age are given according to the state of the plants in the fall of 2017. Seed quality was assessed with due regard to the approved guidelines. X-ray analysis of fruits and seeds was carried out using the methods developed for the use of microfocus radiography for seeds and fruits.Results. A. manshuriensis has been grown in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden since 1909. The first flowering was observed in 1918 and 1919, the first fruiting in 1924. Currently, plants of the third or fourth generation are present in the collection. A. macrophylla has been known in St. Petersburg since 1816. Over a 200-year period of introduction, only flowering was observed. For the first time, fruiting in this species was registered in 2007; since 2014, second-generation plants have been grown. Analysis of the seeds collected in 2016 and 2017 showed that they are viable and of high quality in both species of Aristolochia. These species are winter-hardy, demonstrate rapid growth, and may somewhat vary in the timeframe of the passage of main phenological phases in their seasonal rhythm of development.Conclusion. For laying out plantations, it is better to use seeds. A. macrophylla and A. manshuriensis are promising for wider cultivation and use in vertical landscaping.

Excursion as an organization form of educational activities in Peter the Great Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences

The paper provides an overview of the tour guide activities in one of the oldest gardens in Russia - Peter the Great Botanical garden of Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. It is the first time the authors have summarized the experience of working with visitors of the Peter the Great Botanical garden from the end of the 19th century to the present. Much attention is paid to the history of the excursion business in Russia and in the Botanical garden. The incentive to work was the growing interest in Botanical gardens and various forms of the excursion activity that now exist in the Botanical garden of Saint Petersburg. Modern science about excursions broadly describes general basics of conducting excursions, but practical techniques are not presented enough. Therefore, the task of methodological developments for the guides of the Botanical garden becomes relevant. Based on historical experience, the authors describe the rules for preparing for excursions in the Botanical garden, aspects when choosing information for excursions, special training methods, and general recommendations for excursions organization. Specific knowledge about the content of excursions in the Botanical garden will help specialists effectively and competently organize activities for environmental and biological education of both adults and young visitors.

Особенности латентного периода представителей семейства Cactaceae, культивируемых в Ботаническом саду Петра Великого

Особенности латентного периода представителей семейства Cactaceae, культивируемых в Ботаническом саду Петра Великого

Biodiversity Conservation in Botanical Gardens: The Collection of Pinaceae Representatives in the Greenhouses of Peter the Great Botanical Garden (BIN RAN)

The work researches the role of botanical gardens in biodiversity conservation. It cites the total number of rare and endangered plants in the greenhouse collection of Peter the Great Botanical garden (BIN RAN). The greenhouse collection of Pinaceae representatives has been analysed, provided with a short description of family, genus and certain species, presented in the collection. The article highlights the importance of Pinaceae for various industries, decorative value of plants of this group, the worth of the pinaceous as having environment-improving properties. In the greenhouses there are 37 species of Pinaceae, of 7 geni, all species have a conservation status: CR – 2 species, EN – 3 species, VU- 3 species, NT – 4 species, LC – 25 species. For most species it is indicated what causes depletion. Most often it is the destruction of natural habitats, uncontrolled clearance, insect invasion and diseases.

PYRUS ZANGEZURA (ROSACEAE) AT SAINT PETERSBURG

Pyrus zangezura Maleev (Rosaceae) is a rare species representing the native vegetation of Armenia (Southern Transcaucasus). It was first described in 1936. P. zangezura has been cultivated at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia) since 1949, where it has reached the height of 8,0 m. For many years, it was in its vegetative state. The first flowering was observed in 2016 (the plant entered the reproductive state). The first progeny from seed was obtained in April 2019. Fruit size was assessed for P. zangezura plants in the dynamics of their development. The studied plants of P. zangezura in the environments of St. Petersburg have demonstrated a high fruiting potential – on average, 109 flowers per 1 m of a shoot. Observations have shown that not all ovules in the opened flowers of P. zangezura are fertilized and produce fruits and seeds. A significant part of the opened flowers, a few days after the onset of flowering, dry up and fall off. On average, 7 fruits are set on 1 m of the shoot in P. zangezura. The reasons for the low flower setting may be variable: impaired pollination processes and insufficient fertility of pollen, underdevelopment of the flower morphological structures, or lack of pollinating insects due to adverse weather conditions. An X-ray analysis of the seeds from the harvests of 2016, 2017 and 2018 showed that the number of plump and fully developed seeds (grades IV and V) in fruits has been growing year by year. As an ornamental plant, P. zangezura may adorn any botanical garden, but it is also promising for urban landscaping, for example, in St. Petersburg. Even in the vegetative state, its elongated lanceolate glossy leaves make it appreciably different from the common P. communis L., and it is especially ornamental during flowering and fruiting. It is as winter-hardy as the common pear-tree, demonstrates resistance to diseases and pests, and may be of importance for breeding programs aimed at the development of resistant cultivars for the Northwest of Russia.

PECULIARITIES OF THE LATENT PERIOD IN SOME SPECIES OF THE GENUS Mammillaria Haw. (Cactaceae) CULTIVATED IN THE PETER THE GREAT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Different species of the Cactaceae family have always been popular as collectible plants. Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute holds a representative collection of species from this genus. Of the 185 names adopted according to The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org), there are currently about 160 species in the collection of the Garden, plus almost 30 intraspecific taxa. For species that reproduce only by seeds, it is important to study the features of their latent period and evaluate their quality (35 species, 87 accessions). The collection of cacti and succulents of the Peter the Great Botanical garden contains a large number of genera and species as well as forms and varieties from this family. Despite the fact that at present some taxa are united, however, specific grown plants produce seeds of different quality. The results of studying fruits and seeds in a number of species of the genus Mammillaria maintained at Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute are presented. The number of seeds in the fruit, the weight of 1000 seeds, and laboratory germination of seeds with different shelf life under laboratory conditions were measured. Seeds were germinated using a standard technique — in Petri dishes on filter paper, without the use of stimulants. It is shown that germination of freshly harvested seeds is slow and stretched in time. Their germination rate does not reach significant performance. The highest germination rate is observed in many species of the genus Mammillaria after 2–3 years of storage. After 5–7 years of storage, the seeds should not be used for exchange between botanical gardens. But anyway, some species (M. flavescens (DC.) DC., M. prolifera subsp. haitiensis (K. Schum.) D. R. Hunt, M. rhodantha Link et Otto) of this genus remain viable for a long time (up to 10 years, as for example, M. mammillaris (L.) Hikers. [=M. simplex Haw.]). At the seed laboratory of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden, the seed storage period for species of the genus Mammillaria suitable for interbotanical exchange is set at a maximum of 7 years, for them to be listed in Index Seminum (or Delectus). Older seeds are used to replenish the carpological collection of the Garden.