The article provides data on the results of monitoring rare and endangered vascular plants in the Biosphere Reserve “Lower Prut”, in the southwestern part of the Republic of Moldova. The new information on the presence of five rare species (Schoenoplectiella supina (L.) Lye, Cyperus odoratus subsp. transcaucasicus (Kük.) Kükkonen, Valerianella pumila (L.) DC., Valerianella turgida (Steven) Betcke and Veronica scutellata L.), bioecological, distributional, sozological and some populational features are presented. Schoenoplectiella supina is listed and collected for the southwestern region for the first time.
A review is made of the work carried out over the course of 50 years in creating the „Vegetation of Moldova” Exhibition at the National Botanical Garden „Alexandru Ciubotaru”. From the initial plantings in 1972 until the year 2023, design, planting, and mobilization of the gene pool have been undertaken. Currently, the Moldavian present Vegetation Exhibition includes 12 micro-exhibitions of forest vegetation, 2 micro-exhibitions of meadow vegetation, 1 micro-exhibition of steppe vegetation, and 1 microexhibition of aquatic and marsh vegetation. In 2020, the exhibition area was settled, parcel divisions were elaborated, boundary markers were installed, and borders were delineated. The article presents the results of inventorying trees, tree seedlings, shrubs, and herbs for each micro-exhibition and sub-plot. Flora of the „Vegetation of Moldova” Exhibition at the National Botanical Garden „Alexandru Ciubotaru” includes 560 species of vascular plants, of which 258 species grow in 12 forest micro-exhibitions, 152 species grow in the micro-exhibition with steppe vegetation and 150 species of plants grow in meadows vegetation. For each sub-plot within the forest micro-exhibitions, data is provided on the number of specimens for each tree species, the composition of the shrub layer, and the herb layer. 61 species of rare plants are preserved ex situ, in the „Vegetation of Moldova” Exhibition in the Botanical Garden „Alexandru Ciubotaru”, of which 32 species are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova.
For the first time, the phytocoenological study of the populations of the critically endangered species [Critically Endangered (CR)], included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova, Centaurea thirkei Sch.Bip, was carried out from the Forest Reserve “Hîrtopul Moisei”. As a result of the phytocoenological research carried out in the reserve, out of the 13 geobotanical reliefs made, only 2 of them could be grouped at the association level (in Iridio variegatae-Quercetum pubescentis Pînzaru, Cantemir et Belous 2022), the others remain to be described at the level of phytocoenoses, not reaching the required number of descriptions to be grouped into associations. The population study included the estimation of population characteristics, such as: the population (number of individuals), their density, age composition, dimensional structure, etc. We propose expanding the area of the reservation by including plot no. 15 which contains natural sectors with Q. pubescens and small groups of Centaurea thirkei Sch.Bip.
In provenance cultures, studies were conducted on diameter growth dynamics in pedunculated oak (Quercus robur L.) trees and the height-diameter relationship was evaluated based on three data approximation models. The studies highlighted a signifi cant variation of the trunk diameter in trees of different origins and a similar growth reaction of oaks from four provenances (Hârjauca, Plaiul Fagului, Zloti, and Baimaclia) in relation to the environmental conditions of the common stand. In all the years of observation, the trees from Edineț had a rapid growth in diameter, thus demonstrating their ability to adapt through phenotypic plasticity. An uneven distribution of tree diameters was observed by provenance, indicating that dominant trees have an advantage in competition for light, slowing the growth of those with smaller diameters and causing a positive skew towards oaks with larger diameters. With the advancing age of the oaks, a tendency to decrease the values of the heritability coefficients for the trunk diameter was observed. At the age of 5 years, studies show a strong genetic control over the growth in diameter, a fact highlighted by the heritability coefficient value of 0,53 for this character. As the trees age, non-genetic factors such as environmental conditions become increasingly important in determining tree diameter growth. The comparative analysis of three statistical fitting models for data on pedunculate oak trees from different provenances, showed that the logarithmic model is the most appropriate to explain the relationship between their height and diameter.
The paper presents 24 floristic notes, which include 1 subspecies new to science Lunaria rediviva L. subsp. bassarabica Pînzaru subsp. nova, 5 new taxa for the flora of the Republic of Moldova: Carex curvata Knaf., Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link, Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) T.Moore ex Woyn., Quercus × rosacea Bechst., Carlina biebersteinii subsp. brevibracteata (Andrae) K.Werner, new growing stations for rare species, included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova (2015): Asplenium scolopendrium L., Carpinus orientalis Mill., Chaerophyllum nodosum (L.) Crantz, Lembotropis nigricans (L.) Griseb., Thalictrum foetidum L., a new growing site for the very rare species – Centaurea ruthenica Lam. and 5 new species for the “Pădurea Domnească” Scientific Reserve.
In the comparative forest cultures of the "Plaiul Fagului” Scientific Reserve, an evaluation of the chlorophyll index and dry mass in the leaves of pedunculate oak descendants from the northern, central, and southern regions of the Republic of Moldova was carried out. The obtained data showed significant variations within trees in terms of minimum and maximum values, as well as the position of the median value relative to the mean in the distribution of the chlorophyll index in the investigated provenances. The analysis of the variation indicates significant differences in the distribution of the chlorophyll index of the leaves of trees originating from different ecological zones. Within this variation, two trends can be observed. The first trend refers to the fact that descendants from more distant areas (in the north and south) have a higher chlorophyll index than those from the central area (including local provenance). This difference due to the fact that descendants from ,,foreign” zones are exposed to different environmental conditions than optimal ones, which makes adaptation processes more pronounced compared to descendants from the central zone with similar conditions to the cultivation area. The second tendency consists of the uniformity in the response of different genotypes of non-locally provenance descendants from remote areas in the north and south, in relation to the specific environmental conditions of the common arboretum. This uniformity is indicated by lower coefficients of variation in the chlorophyll index of descendants from ,,foreign” zones compared to local provenance ones. Therefore, descendants of non-local provenance developed adaptation processes in new environmental conditions reflected by differences in the distribution of chlorophyll content. In descendants of northern and southern origin, these differences are lower than those characteristic of local provenance descendants. This view is supported by the fact that the dry mass rate of the leaves of local provenance descendants tends to be lower compared to those from the northern and southern parts of the Republic of Moldova.
The paper presents a brief review on the medicinal importance and possibilities of capitalization of Digitalis L. taxa (D. ciliata Trautv., D. ferruginea L., D. grandifl ora Mill., D. laevigata Waldst. ex Kit., D. lanata Ehrh., D. lutea L., D. lutea subsp. australis (Ten.) Arcang., D. purpurea L., D. purpurea var. albifl ora Lej.) intro duced in the Natio nal Botanical Garden (Institute) “Al. Ciubotaru”. The main morphological characteristics of the plants are described, the bioactive components and medicinal properties are summarized. The notable presence of cardioactive glycosides in the species D. lanata and D. purpurea make them the most important drugs in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The review also indicate the therapeutic potential of other Digitalis L. species which point the way to conduct further studies in order to establish and explore their medicinal value.
The paper presents the results of the study on spontaneous vascular plant species, threatened with extinction from the Fabaceae Lindley family, proposed for the inclusion in the 4th edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova. These include 9 endangered species: Anthyllis macrocephala Wend., Astragalus corniculatus M.Bieb., A. pastellianus Pollini, Chamaecytisus lindemannii (V.Krecz.) Klask., Ch. paczoskii (V.Krecz.) Klask., Glycyrrhiza echinata L., Lembotropis nigricans (L.) Griseb., Trigonella monspeliaca L. and Vicia biennis L. We propose to include additionally to the existant list of species protected by law 7 species: Astragalus corniculatus, Astragalus pastellianus, Chamaecytisus lindemannii, Ch. paczoskii, Glycyrrhiza echinata, Trigonella monspeliaca and Vicia biennis.
The association Iridio varigatae-Quercetum pubescentis Pînzaru, Cantemir et Belous consists of phytocenoses of downy oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) with Hungarian iris (Iris variegata L.), West-Pontic, xerophilic, xeromesophilic, located on arid, sunny hills, on deep, leachate-chernozem soils or typical moderately humiferous soils, formed on clayey or sandy loams. The association has been identifi ed based on 30 relevés carried out by the authors. It includes Critically Endangered (CR) species, included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova: Centaurea angelescui Grinț., C. thirkei Sch.Bip., Chaerophyllum nodosum (L.) Crantz, Delphinium fi ssum Waldst. et Kit. and Serratula bulgarica Acht. et Stoj. The association Iridio varigatae-Quercetum pubescentis Pînzaru, Cantemir et Belous has been grouped in the alliance Quercion pubescenti-petraeae Br.-Bl. 1932, order Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae Klika 1933, class QUERCO-FAGETEA Br.-Bl. et Vlieger in Vlieger 1937.
Currently, more people are becoming aware of the value of medicinal plants also. Compared to other medications, drugs made from plants are readily available, affordable, safe, and have few to no adverse effects. In the present study, we investigate the phytochemical screening and enumerate the antimicrobial activity of the selected tree species of Sapindus emarginatus, Murraya koenigii, Mangifera indica, Sterculia fodita, and Tamaridus indica. The plant extracts were prepared by using acetone solvent. The extracts have been employed for investigating bioactive substances. The leaf extract of acetone solvent was used to test the antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp and Mucor sp, Aspergillus niger by agar well diffusion method using different concentrations. Antimicrobial activity was significantly increased due to the presence of secondary metabolites that inhibit pathogenic microbial growth. This study can be helpful in providing evidence to support the tree species and act as traditional medicinal plants in future.
Sternbergia colchicifl ora Waldst. et Kit. is a critically endangered species, included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova. This species fulfi lls a decorative role in natural ecosystems and represents a natural source of products in the medical industry. Research on the conservation of the Sternbergia colchicifl ora species through in vitro culture is being carried out for the fi rst time in our country. The purpose of this study is to asepticize the plant material of the Sternbergia colchicifl ora species and introduce it into in vitro culture for subsequent multiplication and obtaining a large number of bulbs. Bulbs and seeds served as initial plant material. Explants grown on three types of nutrient media supplemented with various concentrations of plant growth regulators. Immature bulbs produced a higher number of bulbils than bulb fragments on medium V2: MS=100% (with the components of the basic medium) and additional addition of phytohormones 6 – benzylaminopurine (BAP) of 0,5 mg/l and naphthylacetic acid (ANA) of 0,25mg/l. The bulbs were replanted on the same type of nutrient medium for 5-6 weeks, developing under the conditions of the growth room, then being transferred to vegetative pots with a mixture of: peat, sand, perlite in a ratio of 1:0.5: 0.5.
As a result of the research conducted, the vegetation of the Pontic-Balkan limestone hill areas, has been separated in a new class – JURINETEA STOECHADIFOLIAE Pînzaru, cl. nova. It consists of pioneer, xerophilous, calcicolous phytocoenoses, characterized by the predominance of chamaephyte species. The class JURINETEA STOECHADIFOLIAE Pînzaru included 2 orders and 4 alliances: Ord. Seselietalia besseriani Pînzaru ord. novo, hoc loco with the alliances Pimpinello-Thymion zygioidis Dihoru 1970 and Genisto tetragonae-Seselion besseriani Pînzaru 1997 corr. h. l. and Ord. Thymo calcareiHy ssopetalia montani Didukh 1989 corr. hoc loco, with two alliances: Euphorbio petroph ilae-Thymion calcarei Didukh 1989 corr. h. l., Sileno spergulifoliae-Artemision hololeucae Didukh 1989 corr. h. l.
At the age of 16, were analysed the comparative cultures of pedunculate oak, which have as seed sources the stands from the north, center and south of the Republic of Moldova. The provenances from the center area demonstrated a high adaptation capacity in the test site from the ,,Plaiul Fagului” reservation, having a signifi cant performance of growth in height than those from the south of the country. At the provenances studied, was observed the instability of the phenotypic variability, which resulted in the change of ranking regarding their growth in different years. This fact suggests that the genetic expression of growth in height occurs gradually, stadially, in the ontogenetic process of tree development. Also, is evident a strong hereditary infl uence of the oaks of origin on the growth rate of the descendants. The use of acorns within the limits of a forest body is risky with the reduction of the genetic diversity of the natural population. Under the conditions of climate change, the transfer of reproductive forest materials within the limits of the Central Moldavian Plateau can be admitted because the pedunculate oak has a vast genetic variability in terms of traits important for adaptation. The assisted migration within the limits of the center area to the oak, a species with a long life cycle and vast genetic variability, is justifi ed by the fact that natural selection will speed up the adaptation process of trees with the prediction of climate changes.
In this article, the characteristics of the genus Gymnocalycium are considered in terms of the classifi cation proposed by Schutz and modifi ed by Rogatsky. The dynamics of the development of the collection of representatives of the genus Gymnocalycium in the “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden (I) is given below. The results of the systematization, revision and identifi cation of the species of the collection are presented. The requirements for the conditions of growing species belonging to different subgenera and sections have been determined on the basis of the analysis of their habitat.
The article presents data on new record of the Red pea for the fl ora of Republic of Moldova – Lathyrus cicera L. The diagnostic characters, distribution and habitat description are given. Due to the limited distribution located on the border of the natural range it is suggested the need to include Lathyrus cicera L. in the 4th edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova as critically endangered species.
On the basis of the phytosociological publications and our own research, the cenotaxonomic survey of the syntaxa of the vegetation on the territory of the Republic of Moldova was elaborated according to the principles of the concept applied by J. Braun-Blanquet (1964). The basic unit is the plant association. In relation to this, for vascular plant communities, units were distinguished from lower to higher: association, alliance, order and class. Based on the cenotaxonomic view, the cenotaxonomic diversity of the vegetation of the Republic of Moldova was highlighted.
The article presents updated data on Caryophyllaceae Juss species extinct in the spontaneous flora of the Republic of Moldova, assigned according to the IUCN classification to the category EW (Extinct in the Wild). For nine species: Cerastium perfoliatum L., Dianthus pseudarmeria M.Bieb., Gypsophila perfoliata L., Hylebia nemorum (L.) Fourr., Minuartia viscosa (Schreb.) Schinz. et Thell., Petrorhagia saxifraga (L.) Link, Sagina procumbens L., Scleranthus uncinatus Schur. and Silene multiflora (Ehrh.) Pers. are indicated data on designations in latin, romanian and russian, synonymy, maps of general distribution of the species and in the republic, habitat, quantitative aspect of populations, limitation factors, biological and ecological features, cultivation, status and protection measures, useful properties.
The paper refers to the study of the biological and ontogenetic peculiarities of the species Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Chinese skullcap) under ex situ conditions, specific to Republic of Moldova. Four life periods (latent, pregenerative, generative, postgenerative) and eight stages (plantlet, juvenile, immature, virginal, early generative, middle generative, late generative, senile) in the cycle of the development of plants were described. The ontogeny of S. baicalensis plants follows the type of monocentric biomorphs that partially disintegrate.
People have recently acknowledged the vital value of green spaces, since the climate changes have become more and more obvious. One of the indicators that determine the quality of life of people in urban areas is the presence of green spaces. With the reduction of their area and quality, the quality of people’s lives gradually worsens. Therefore, there is a need to study in detail the current state of green spaces in the urban zones and to increase their area in terms of quantity, but also of the services provided by them in terms of quality. Data on the current status (location, area) can be provided by mapping. With the help of remote sensing data and OpenStreetMap data, the functions of green spaces of the general use category in Bălți urban ecosystems were identified. The quality of the results obtained depends directly on the quality of the data placed on OpenStreetMap. As a result, four parks and two squares were identified.
The current article highlights the current state and dynamics of the forest fund structure within the Scientific Reservation ”Plaiul Fagului” for the period 1996-2019. Indications of the structure of the forest fund in dynamics are presented (current composition and target composition, volume of wood mass, distribution by age classes, origin, vitality, consistency categories and the current character of the forest type). In order to increase the structural indices of the forest fund within the Reservation. The need to apply intensive management in order to bring the structural indices closer to the optimal ones planned by Arrangement 2019 - drafted for this reservation.
