Spontaneous Flora Research Articles

Composition and changes in the spontaneous flora of the Wadi El Rayan Ramsar site, Fayoum, Egypt, in the last 20 years

Abstract Wadi El Rayan is located in Egypt in the Sahara ecoregion the Palearctic ecozone (the world’s largest hot desert). The total area of Wadi El Rayan is 1759km2. The aim of this work was to study the ecosystems, compare species composition, species richness and species diversity of the study sites in the Wadi El Rayan protected area and the distributions of plants in the different landform. The field observations found that there is a low diversity and number of plant species around the lakes, in particular a decline in vegetation cover in accordance with a dramatic decrease in the water level in the lakes compared to earlier studies. The reduction of water levels due to decreased water supply is considered the main threat facing ecosystems and biodiversity in the lake area which requires a continuous survey of flora and measures to be implemented to conserve the natural vegetation in the area. Based on investigations of the spontaneous flora of Wadi El Rayan in 2018, 18 taxa of vascular plants were recorded. This inventory was compared with published records of investigations made in 1998, 2002 and 2014. A total of 18 vascular plant species belonging to 14 families were recorded in the wetland and desert ecosystems around the lakes of Wadi El Rayan. The vegetation mainly consists of sparsely distributed xerophytic and halophytic plants except in the wetland ecosystem around the lakes where it is characterized by some hydrophytic and halophytic plants. The family with the highest number of species was Poaceae followed by Zygophyllaceae. The results showed that a higher number of species was recorded from the Lower Lake (13 species) than the Upper Lake (10 species) and (5 species) for the connecting channel. The most frequently recorded species were Phragmites australis, Tamarix nilotica, Juncus rigidus and Alhagi graecorum: the first two species were the most successful species as they grow in a variety of ecosystems and habitats.

Alien species of the genus Lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) in the flora of right-bank Ukraine

The purpose of this work is to determine the taxonomic composition of alien species of the genus Lonicera in the flora of the Right-Bank Ukraine and to study the state of their naturalization. The work is based on floristic field studies in the region and an inventory of the taxonomic composition of plantations of M.M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden of NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv), Syrets Arboretum (Kyiv), and Arboretum Oleksandriya of NAS of Ukraine (Bila Tserkva). Except alien species are cited earlier – L. tatarica and L. caprifolium, in the investigated spontaneous flora of the botanical garden and arboretums other species L. × notha and L. ruprechtiana have been found, which now have a local distribution. L. tatarica is widely distributed in parks and forest plantations throughout the territory. This species is well naturalized and it is now a common alien species. It is noted that the species is very polymorphic in the culture, but it is most adapted to local conditions typical form spontaneously spread. L. caprifolium often occurs in culture as an ornamental species and sometimes naturalizes, mostly near parks. L. ruprechtiana is found in collections in arboretums and botanical gardens. This species is characterized by successful generative reproduction and it is an escaped plant in the examined parklands. It is stated that the L. ruprechtiana is potentially expansive and therefore should not be recommended for widespread use in parklands and forest plantations. The hybridogenic L. × notha spontaneously arises in the centers of introduction upon contact of parental species – L. ruprechtiana and L. tatarica. This species may have a potentially high invasive ability. It is noted that several species of the genus: L. japonica, L. maackii and L. micrantha – have successfully naturalized in culture in the Right-Bank Ukraine and can replenish adventitious fraction of the flora in the future. It is established that 4 species of the genus Lonicera are alien species of the flora of Right-Bank Ukraine: L. tatarica, L. caprifolium, L. × notha and L. ruprechtiana. The last two are given for the first time for the flora of Ukraine. They are at the initial stage of naturalization and refer to colonophytes. A way to deter further expansion of L. × notha and L. ruprechtiana is to prevent a further spread of L. ruprechtiana in culture. Manuscript received 29.04.2020

Investigation on High-Value Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Blackberries and Their Fractions Obtained by Home-Scale Juice Processing

Blackberry pomace represents a valuable but underused byproduct of juice manufacturing. Its further applicability in various food systems is facilitated by detailed knowledge of its own bioactive potential. This study was focused on the investigation of the polyphenolic compound profile, total phenolic and ascorbic acid content, as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.) coming from spontaneous flora of two different areas of Romania, Paltinis (Sibiu County) and Zugau (Arad County) and their fractions, juice and pomace, resulting from home-scale processing. To ensure a satisfactory shelf life, the blackberry pomace was subjected to convective drying (60 °C for 12 hours) and the impact of this treatment on the antioxidant properties was evaluated. No significant differences in the investigated characteristics according to the place of origin were recorded. However, a slight increase in the antioxidant properties of fruits and fractions from the Zugau region, characterized by higher temperatures and a lower precipitation regime, was noticed compared with samples derived from the Paltinis area. The drying of blackberry byproducts led to losses of 10–23% in the content of the investigated bioactive compounds and DPPH radical scavenging activity. A significant correlation between DPPH radical scavenging activity and the total phenolic content has been recorded. Our findings are of interest in blackberry selection to enhance the level of bioactive compounds in the targeted products. The obtained results confirm that the blackberry processing byproducts may be regarded as a promising source of high-quality bioactive compounds and a proven radical scavenging capacity, representing a starting point for further analyses. This study responds to a global issue regarding fruit byproduct management in order to ensure the sustainable development of a circular economy.

Vascular spontaneous flora of the town of Modena: analysis of the historic centre

[The results of the first systematic study concerning the urban flora of Modena are here presented. Data collection was carried out in 2014-2018, by inspecting every road and square of the historic centre, intended as the area encompassed within the wide avenues that retrace the layout of the 16th century ramparts. 344 plant species were found, of which 1 is new for the flora of Italy, 10 are new for Emilia-Romagna and 19 are new for the province of Modena. Among these 30 new species, alien species make up 63%. There are 17 species no longer found during this study, which were observed at least 20 years ago or were testified only by late 19th century herbarium samples. The life form spectrum is dominated by the therophytes (44%), followed by hemicryptophytes (28%) and phanerophytes (15%). Eurasian (28%), Mediterranean (24%) and cosmopolite species (24%) dominate the chorological spectrum. Neophytes are 18% of the total number of species, quite a low percentage if compared with what was observed in other towns of the Po Plain and Central Europe. This fact is probably due to the small area of the historic city centre, whose compact urbanistic structure seems to resist against the diffusion of alien plants. The invasive species are 11% of the total. The presence of 15 hygrophilous species is interesting, since they indicate irrigation or hyper-irrigation of lawns and flowerbeds. We found 4 protected species at the regional level, of which 2 are escaped from cultivation. Concerning the affinity of the species to urban ecology, the floristic list is dominated by the urban-neutral (45%) and urbanophilous species (42%). This fact can indicate a good variety in terms of growth environments, with most of them probably in a quite advanced phase of ecological evolution for an urban centre, and also a fairly good environmental quality, likely due – at least partially – to the abundance of green areas. The species richness in every road or square is strongly correlated to the environmental heterogeneity (ρ = 0,794) and moderately correlated to the nearby presence of green areas (ρ = 0,544) and to the road length or square surface (ρ = 0,665 and 0,673, respectively). Furthermore, a weak correlation (ρ = 0,212) exists between the presence of horticultural or food species and the presence of restaurants in the same road or square. Therefore, the town is confirmed to be a very dynamic ecosystem with great biological richness, useful to understand the ecological strategies developed by plants to adapt to sometimes very unfavourable conditions. In addition, during the process of colonisation of a region, urban areas often act as a «hub» for the spreading of species along the road and railway network. Understanding and respecting the ecological roles of native species is thus fundamental for modern urban planning, aimed at improving the quality of life as a whole.]
 
 [Article in Italian]

Walls offer potential to improve urban biodiversity

Within urban environment with high-rise buildings and structures, walls represent the most common vertical spaces. Conventionally, such spaces are viewed as abiotic areas, where spontaneous flora is neglected. Through investigations in a typical mountainous city Chongqing, this study concerns the spontaneous species diversity on walls and the influences of wall factors and the adjacent environment. A total of 239 vascular plant species belonging to 172 genera and 75 families were found; 90% of the species are indigenous. More fern species inhabit walls, compared with xerophytes that dominate general urban environment. Variation partitioning indicated that wall attributes played a more important role in explaining the total variation in wall vegetation composition and structure than did the adjacent environment. Given that there are limited possibilities to extend more green space in urban land environment, we support a “let Nature take its course” approach to improve urban biodiversity, where vertical urban space with spontaneous flora can act as a valuable complement to biodiversity and ecosystem services in dense urban environment. This study should raise urban designers’ and ecosystem managers’ awareness of the possibilities of this type of informal, unconventional habitat as a “supplement” for urban greening and landscaping.

Variability in physical and chemical characteristics of Cornelian cherry fruits (Cornus mas L.) from Romanian Oltenia region’s spontaneous flora and role of the climatic conditions

High variability in populations of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) from spontaneous flora is an important genetic source for propagation and breeding programs. This study aimed to provide information on the state of genetic resources in C. mas in Romania and on physical–chemical characteristics of fruits in selected genotypes. Over 2 years of study, significant differences in morphometric characteristics were observed. Notably, fruit weight and pulp percentage varied between 1.0 and 2.67 g and between 66.71 and 90.02%, respectively, and a high variability in chemical composition of fruit pulp among population was also observed. The relationships between different morphometric characteristics of fruits confirmed the influence of fruit size on the fruit weight and pulp percentage. Selection and study of C. mas L. genotypes in Oltenia region’s spontaneous flora was shown to be useful for introducing the most valuable selections in commercial exploitation.

Phytochemical Characterization of Transilvanian Prunella vulgaris

Abstract Prunella vulgaris L. grows in spontaneous flora of Romania in wet places, fields, meadows, unpopulated areas, both in the sun and in the shade. The plant is rich in phenolic acids (caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid), pentacyclic triterpenic compounds (ursolic, oleanolic, betulinic acid) and flavonoids (rutoside, quercetin). Prunella vulgaris L. has shown numerous pharmacological actions: antioxidant, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, immunostimulatory activities. The aim of the study was to evaluate the phytochemical and pharmacological profile of the leaves and spike inflorescence of Prunella vulgaris L. collected from Romania. The polyphenol content in leaves was found to be 63.78 ± 2.01 mg GAE/g dry weight in the methanolic extract and 45.73 ± 13.87 mg GAE/g in the aqueous extract. In the spike inflorescence, total polyphenol content was 36.44 ± 6.73 mg GAE/g in the methanolic extract and 26.49 ± 2.97 mg GAE/g in the aqueous extract. The results from the antioxidant assays (DPPH and ABTS) were not significantly different between the two herbal drugs. Further studies are needed in order to quantify the active compounds.

Improving soil health, weed management and nitrogen dynamics by Trifolium subterraneum cover cropping

The low organic matter and nitrogen levels in the soils, as well as the high weed pressure, typical of Mediterranean agroecosystems, necessitate a valid and sustainable alternative management. The utilization of cover crops such as Trifolium subterraneum L. may represent an innovative and efficient option for low-input and organic agricultural systems. In a 3-year experiment, we evaluated the effect of T. subterraneum and spontaneous flora cover cropping, with or without burying dead mulch into the soil, on the quali-quantitative composition of the weed seed bank in an apricot orchard. Moreover, the bacteria Nitrosomonas europaea and Azotobacter vinelandii, involved in the soil N cycle, and the content of ammoniacal and nitric soil nitrogen were quantified. For the first time, we demonstrated that T. subterraneum cover cropping with the incorporation of dead mulches into the soil on the one hand reduced weed biodiversity and the seed bank size (− 70% compared to conventional management following the standard commercial practices), while, on the other hand, increased the amount of N. europaea (+ 109%), A. vinelandii (+ 145%), NH4+ (+ 137%) and NO3− (+ 478%) in the soil. This approach was therefore found to be a major improvement in low-input agriculture and organic farming, and it can be applied in Mediterranean orchards as an eco-friendly strategy with the aim of reducing synthetic herbicides for weed control and mineral nitrogen fertilizers as the sole source of nitrogen supply.

Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds from the Aerial Parts of Medicinal Plant, Galium verum

The Galium verum herb, (Rubiaceae family) is well represented in the spontaneous Romanian flora. She is one of the most used plants in traditional medicine. Our research aimed to investigate the chemical volatile profile in fresh, dried and essential oil of Gallium verum using SPME and hydrodistillation techniques, followed by GC-MS analysis. Characterization of volatile compounds composition by SPME �GC-MS technique presented din this paper is the first study on fresh and dried of Galium verum plant to our knowledge. Galium verum fresh flower floral bouquet is given by monoterpenes (73,5%), sesquiterpenes (10,16%), esters (10,26%) and others(5.87%). The floral bouquet of Gallium verum dried flower, contains mainly: aldehydes (35.48%) monoterpenes (35.48%), alcohols (11.96%), sesquiterpenes, (3.71%), esters (3.14%) and others (10.11%). Sixty components were identified in the galium essential oil.

Seed banks in urban vacant lots of a Latin American megacity are easily germinable and strongly dominated by exotic flora

Seed banks in the soil play a role in the temporal continuity and succession of vegetation in urban vacant lots. Therefore, it is necessary to know the composition, abundance and dynamics of the seeds stored in the lots’ soils to understand their effect on spontaneously established urban plants. We hypothesized that soil seed banks in the urban vacant lots of Santiago, Chile, have a high abundance of seeds and an easily germinable bank of mainly exotic annual weeds. Additionally, 5 drivers (lot age, lot area, distance to urban centre, distance to urban boundary, and population density) were associated with the density of seed banks in the soil of urban lots. In 20 lots studied, 18 soil samples (150 cm3 per sample) were collected, 9 samples at a depth of 0–5 cm, and 9 samples at >5–10 cm. This seed bank was studied by seed germination in each of the soil samples. Thirty-eight species recorded in the seed banks were exotic (83.7% were European, Mediterranean or Eurasian) and only three native. Two species could be identified up to genus only. We recorded in total 2934 seedlings in the upper soil layer and 506 seedlings in the lower soil layer from the 20 lots analyzed. The species frequency in the upper seed bank was positively and significantly correlated with the frequency of the lower seed bank and with species frequency for above-ground vegetation. In the upper soil layer, our results showed that smaller lots located in the most densely populated neighborhoods contain more weed seed density in the soil than greater lots located in less densely populated areas. The rest of the factors evaluated were not associated with the density of the seed banks in the soil. The results indicate that research in seed banks in urban habitats should be expanded and deepened, since the seed banks are determinants in the spatio-temporal abundance and diversity of above-ground spontaneous urban lot flora.

Impact of Different Reclamation Modes of Fly Ash Deposits on Species Richness of Spontaneous Flora

The model reclamation process of the studied fly ash deposits has been started in 2003 by formation of five different experimental surface layers containing fly ash and organic matter in various combinations. Then, grass mixture was sown on these surface layers. In 2015, selected properties of plant communities growing on different variants of surface layers applied in the reclamation process were assessed. It was assumed that the type of mineral and organic substrates used in the process and their quality were the main factors affecting the long term plant diversity present on different variants of restored surfaces. The aim of this analysis was the assessment of the effectiveness of ash waste reclamation (carried out on five different types of the surface layer) after 12 years since its initiation. The long term results of the reclamation process showed that the applied surface layers allowed for an effective reclamation of ashes since all variants of experimental surfaces were totally covered by dense vegetation. The predominance of plant species from ruderal and segetal habitats indicated that the soil of the experimental habitats was fertile with neutral and slightly alkaline pH, and texture of sandy loams. The experimental surface layers with a texture of sand of favourable C:N ratio, neutral or slightly alkaline did not limit the plant development. The use of organic waste markedly contributed to the floristic diversity of the spontaneously developed vegetation. Coniferous bark used in some experimental variants had a marked effect on their floristic distinctiveness due to the presence of species preferring habitats of lower pH values.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Some Wild Plants with Potential Culinary Uses

Since ancient times, wild plants have widely been traditionally consumed by different communities but today are gaining relevance due to their healthy properties. Vegetables, including wild edible species, constitute an important source of active natural products: micronutrients, especially vitamins and minerals and phytochemical compounds with antioxidant properties important in the prevention of various pathologies including degenerative, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Some species of wild and cultivated edible plants were comparatively evaluated considering the content in bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity. Biochemical analysis of the fresh leaves indicated similar or even higher values of nutritive compounds (sugars, protids) and antioxidants (polyphenols, carotenoids, flavones, chlorophylls, ascorbic acid) in the species from spontaneous flora as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), wild garlic (Allium ursinum) than in the green lettuce and garden rocket commonly consumed around the world. Therefore, these wild plants could be recommended for consumers not only as new ingredients to improve their diet diversity but also for providing potential health benefits.

The Spontaneous Vascular Plant Flora of New York's Central Park11b

This work details the spontaneous vascular plant flora of New York City's Central Park for the period 2013 to 2017. We divided the 341-ha (843-acre) park into 36 zones and used a modified timed-meander sampling method to collect herbarium specimens and silica-dried samples (for DNA analysis) of spontaneous, naturalized plants. We collected each new species until we ceased to find any species that had not been previously encountered in any zone. We collected 1,468 specimens, representing 438 species and two subspecific taxa from 262 genera and 89 families, and a number of cultivated species not analyzed is this work. We find that 45% of the flora are native (198 species) and 54% (240 species) are nonnative. Three species are of unknown native status (<1%). The largest families are Poaceae (56 species), Asteraceae (55), Rosaceae (27), Fabaceae (20), and Polygonaceae (17). The largest genera are Persicaria (8 species), Carex (7), Acer (7), Cyperus (6), Rubus (6), and Eragrostis (6). Seven species are ranked as rare, threatened, or endangered by New York Natural Heritage Program. Thirty-six species are listed as prohibited or regulated invasive species by New York State. Four species new for New York State were collected in Central Park during this study. We documented 76 additional species since the last inventory of 2007. The percentage of native species has increased by 5% since 2007. The data suggest that management efforts focused on controlling invasive species and planting and supporting native species have been effective. The spontaneous, naturalized flora is listed in Appendix I. Spontaneous plants that appear once or sporadically but do not persist without repeated introduction are listed as waifs in Appendix II. The species are listed with scientific and common name, native status in New York State, coefficient of conservatism, New York Natural Heritage Program rarity ranking (S1–S5), observed frequency in Central Park (rare, infrequent, and frequent), and observed species fecundity for Central Park (decreasing, stable, or increasing). All species reported are vouchered by herbarium specimens and silica-dried tissue samples at the New York Botanical Garden.

Mezyn National Natural Park as a centre of forest phytodiversity maintaince of north-eastern Ukraine

Mezyn National Natural Park is in the north part of the Korop District of the Chernihiv Region, 310 km2 in area, is characteristic for its strongly dismembered landscape that stipulates presence of varied localities, among them there are exterminated glaciofluvial plains, slopes and super streamside terraces. Aim of research included an expose of the value of the Mezyn NNP in maintenance of forest diversity of vascular plants and forest communities. In the Mezyn NNP there are 772 species of spontaneous flora, 194 species of the cultivated flora and 18 rarity species. The rarest species are concentrated in the centre and the east, prats of the park richer in vegetation cover. In the forest group of the Mezyn NNP 10 species of vascular plants are recordered in the Red book of the Ukraine. The wooden territory of the Mezyn NNP presents 38% and provides the variety of ecotopic terms after they provides a wide spectrum of representation and protection of forest species of vascular plants and corresponding phytocommunites.

Hemijski sastav esencijalnog ulja za populaciju Thymusa iz Albanije

This study presents data about chemical composition of essential oils for Thymus populations from the Albania. The genus Thymus contains about 350 species of aromatic plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is in the form of a beautiful shrub with numerous branches used often as decorative plant besides it uses for culinary and medical purposes. Thymus plants are part of spontaneous flora in Albania and almost throughout the Mediterranean areas. Thymus vulgaris, Thymus capitatus and Thymus serpyllum samples from different areas of Albania were taken in July 2017. The air dried plant samples were cut in small pieces (1-2 cm) and after that were subjected to European Pharmacopoeia apparatus (Clevenger type) for 4 hours to obtain Thymus essential oil. The chemical composition of essential oils was analyzed using GC/FID technique. The oil of each Thymus samples was injected in a Varian 450 GC. VF-1ms capillary column (30 m x 0.33 mm x 0.25 um) were used for separation of compounds. 40-65 compounds were found in analyzed samples. Para-Cymene, gama-Terpinen, Thymol and Carvacrol were identified as main constituents and all analyzed essential oils of Thymus samples from Albania. Para-Cymene was the main constituent for Thymus vulgaris samples. Carvacrol was found in higher percentage for Thymus capitatus and Thymus serpyllum. Thymol was in higher percentage for Thymus vulgaris and Thymus serpyllum. Total of Thymol and Carvacrol were higher for Thymus serpyllum samples. The same compounds were found for all Thymus samples but were noted differences in percentage between them. This is related with differences between species obtained for analysis but is not excluded the impact of geographic and geological factors. Data reported in this paper were similar to those published in previous works in Balkan and Mediterranean area.

Composition of the Synanthropic Fraction of Spontaneous Flora of the Gardens and Parks in the Middle Pobuzhzhia Region of Ukraine

AbstractThe aim of our work was to analyse synanthropic fraction of spontaneous flora of gardens and parks in the Middle Pobuzhzhia Region of Ukraine and to reveal the features of synanthropisation. The landscapes of gardens and parks in the Region include botanical gardens, arboretums and monuments of landscape art. A total of 15 objects were studied. The floras of parks were estimated by proportion of different groups (origin, naturalisation degree, time and ways of introduction) of synanthropic species. The synanthropic fraction of spontaneous flora was calculated using the indices of synanthropisation, apophytisation, anthropophytisation, archeophytisation, kenophytisation and modernisation. These indices were specified for each park and for the Middle Pobuzhzhia Region in general. The obtained data were compared to each other and to the analogous urban floras from different zones of Ukraine. It was revealed that the apophytisation processes were dominated by the processes of adventisation in most of the parks. The proportion of the synanthropic fraction of spontaneous flora of the Middle Pobuzhzhia Region was significantly lower compared to urban floras of some cities of Ukraine, and despite a considerable anthropogenic pressure retained some features of natural flora.

Influence of Tillage Systems on the Degree of Weeding on Agricultural Crops at ARDS Turda

Plants of spontaneous flora are in constant competition with culture plants for water, nutrients and other vegetation factors. The degree of weeding was determined in 2014-2016, at four crops - winter wheat, maize, soybeans and peas, cultivated in conventional tillage system and conservation tillage. Temperatures and precipitations registered on the vegetation period in three year had a high influence on the number of weeds found in agricultural crops, so in 2015 there was a smaller number of weeds than in 2014 respectively 2016. Of the species determined in this period is noted for annual dicotyledonous (most of them Chenopodium sp., Veronica sp. and Xanthium strumarium), and among the species of monocotyledonous species Echinochloa sp. and Setaria sp. which are found in all four cultures. In the case of the application of conservative tillage systems there is an increase in the number of weeds compared to the conventional tillage system. The average yields obtained by maize, soybean and peas at application of conservative tillage systems are close to the classical tillage system, the winter wheat yield was higher in the no tillage system than in the classical tillage system.

Phenotypic variability of wild plum fruits (Prunus spinosa L.) in genotypes from spontaneous flora in southern Oltenia, Romania

Phenotypic variability of wild plum fruits (<i>Prunus spinosa</i> L.) in genotypes from spontaneous flora in southern Oltenia, Romania

Phytochemical Profile and Antimicrobial Potential of Extracts Obtained from Thymus marschallianus Willd.

Thymus marschallianus Willd. is a Lamiaceae species spread in a large variety of habitats worldwide. The aim of the present research was to analyse two different samples belonging to this species, one obtained from the spontaneous flora and one from culture. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acid contents were spectrophotometrically determined. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyphenols was performed by an HPLC-DAD-ESI (+)-MS method. For the antibacterial assay, the well-diffusion and the broth microdilution methods were used. Analysis of polyphenols revealed for both samples the presence of flavonoids like luteolin, quercetin, apigenin and their derivatives, but also of rosmarinic acid and methyl-rosmarinate. Differences regarding the amount of these compounds were emphasized. Significantly larger amounts of flavonoids were found for the sample harvested in the spontaneous flora, while for the rosmarinic acid, larger amounts were found for the cultured sample. Both samples displayed promising antibacterial activity, particularly towards Gram positive organisms. T. marschallianus represents, therefore, a rich source of polyphenolic compounds that prove its promising potential as a medicinal species.

The non-native woody species of the flora of Ukraine: Introduction, naturalization and invasion

The process of invasion, naturalization, dispersion and invasive activity of non-native woody species in 5 regional floras, 5 urban floras and over 30 floras of the protected areas is discussed. It has been established that 182 non-native species out of 95 genera and 45 families are currently at different naturalization stages in the spontaneous flora of Ukraine. In terms of life-forms, they may be divided as follows: trees – 41%, shrubs – 35%, trees/shrubs – 15%, lianas – 9%. Most species spread both via seed dispersal and the vegetative way – 56%, using only seed dispersal – 42%, only the vegetative way – 2%. According to the preliminary rating of species-wise invasive activity, 71 species (40%) have naturalized completely, among them 20 invasive species, including 12 transformer species, 29 potentially invasive species, and 22 naturalized species which demonstrate no invasive tendencies. The initial stages of invasion of 111 species are as follows: introduction – 9%, survival – 36%, adaptation of the reproductive sphere – 28%, establishment, formative of local populations – 27%. In terms of dispersion, non-naturalized species are divided as follows: rare – 45%, local – 16%, sporadic – 6%, unique – 12%, spreading under control beyond collections and expositions in botanical gardens and arboretums – 21%. Twelve transformer species, the greatest threat to local diversity, are Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, Amorpha fruticosa, Bupleurum fruticosum, Elaeagnus angustifolia, E. rhamnoides, Fraxinus ornus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, P. vitacea, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rhamnus alaternus, Salix × blanda and 8 invasive proper species: Berberis aquifolia, Colutea orientalis, Daphne laureola, Prunus cerasifera, P. serotina, Quercus ilex, Viburnum tinus, Vitis vinifera. The list of alien species, most widespread in 50 regions of Europe, includes Robinia pseudoacacia (42 regions), Ailanthus altissima (40), Acer negundo (38), Prunus cerasus (34), Quercus rubra (34), Rosa rugosa (34), Prunus domestica (31). The mitigation of the impacts of these species on local biodiversity is possible via the restoration of local native plant communities, land use organization, strict selection of introduced species prior to the introduction, culture of planting management, preventive measures and extending awareness and sharing of information about plant invasions. Therefore, Ukraine’s spontaneous flora is notable for the active process of naturalization of non-native woody species with considerable involvement of invasive alien species. This is the first and preliminary evaluation of the invasive activity of woody species in Ukraine’s flora. The manifestations of the global tendency of increased involvement and invasive activity of alien woody species in domestic flora have been confirmed. These conclusions are also relevant for elaborating the system of preventive, containing and mitigating measures regarding plant invasions in Ukraine.