New data on the structure of seedlings, juvenile, immature, virginal, and generative individuals of invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and A. trifida L. and the time of their transition to different age stages in Moscow and Moscow oblast have been obtained. These data can help in recognition of plants at different stages of their ontogenesis in nature and in their timely control. It has been shown that both species have a high germination rate; however, the pace of development differs, which affects the time of flowering and fruit ripening. For A. artemisiifolia, the duration of the growing season in Moscow and Moscow oblast is not enough to form mature seeds, while A. trifida in these conditions sets high-grade fruits and seeds with high germination capacity. The main propagation path of A. artemisiifolia fruits from the southern regions to the north is the railways. Seed drift of A. trifida is mainly associated with wheeled transport and transport and processing of grain. It has been suggested that A. trifida can potentially be a rather dangerous plant for the northeastern regions of Central Russia as an invasive species, which in the case of massive introduction of diaspores can occupy large areas in disturbed and natural communities and form stable self-renewing populations. The northward movement of A. artemisiifolia is more problematic. However, in consideration of wide adaptive potential of the species, including the shortening of development cycle and the formation of early maturing and female forms, it can be concluded that naturalization of the species in the northeastern regions of Russia is also possible.

In Apiaceae, embryos of most species have two cotyledons, but some species are consistently monocotylar. Traditionally, the monocotyly has been considered as taxonomically important at the generic level, despite its presumably multiple origins in the family. In this study, a survey of the published literature and our new findings on cotyledon number, embryo and seedling morphology and nrDNA ITS sequence data are presented to provide modern insights into the taxonomic distribution and phylogenetic relationships of monocotylar taxa. A molecular phylogenetic tree representing much of the diversity of monocotylar Apiaceae was produced to re-evaluate the potential implication of monocotyly for systematics and to elucidate its evolutionary significance in the family. Our data document the presence of monocotylar seedlings in 59 species representing 15 genera, in three species and one genus (Postiella) of which monocotylar seedlings are reported for the first time. Analysis of ITS sequence data indicates that monocotyly in Apiaceae has arisen independently in at least seven different lineages encompassing five of 41 major clades of subfamily Apioideae, but not in early-diverging lineages. Parallel evolution has resulted in a remarkable morphological similarity in monocotylar embryo and seedling organization, especially in the proportion of the cotyledon length to the axis of the embryo and the multifunctional cotyledonary tube in the seedling. These features could be considered as adaptations to a geophilic life form, as all monocotylar species are perennial herbs with tuberous underground organs distributed mainly in the Ancient Mediterranean region. The single cotyledon in Apiaceae, as in most other monocotyledonous eudicots, could be interpreted as two united cotyledons (syncotyly), but further developmental studies are needed to test this hypothesis.

Heterostyly is widely spread in Primula nutans ssp. finmarchica and is characterized by different positions of styles, anthers as well as morphology of stigma and pollen grains as in other heterostylous primroses. Two types of anther position can be found, at the mouth and at the middle of the corolla tube. Position of styles in the short-styled flowers is variable. So, we have divided this type into three groups. A great number of short-styled forms in which the stigma is directly below the anthers or just opposite them show that there is a weak trend from heterostyly to homostyly. The revealed differences in the structure of pistils and pollen grains are not as significant as in some other heterostylous primroses. The style-morph ratio of long-styled and short-styled plants as well as flowers in two studied coenopopulations were nearly 1:1 (with a slight predominance of short-styled individuals, 0.8 and 0.9, respectively), in the smallest third one – nearly 3:1. Thus, according to alternative features, the two studied coenopopulations are completely stable having an almost equal ratio of both morphotypes. The number of ovules in long-styled and short-styled flowers lies in the same range, which indicates the potential equal probability of obtaining the same ratio of different plant forms in the next generation.

A Summary is Heterostyly is widely spread in Primula nutans ssp. finmarchica and is characterized by different positions of styles, anthers as well as morphology of stigma and pollen grains as in other heterostylous primroses. Two types of anther position can be found, at the mouth and at the middle of the corolla tube. Position of styles in the short-styled flowers is variable. So, we have divided this type into three groups. A great number of short-styled forms in which the stigma is directly below the anthers or just opposite them show that there is a weak trend from heterostyly to homostyly. The revealed differences in the structure of pistils and pollen grains are not as significant as in some other heterostylous primroses. The style-morph ratio of long-styled and short-styled plants as well as flowers in two studied coenopopulations were nearly 1:1 (with a slight predominance of short-styled individuals, 0.8 and 0.9, respectively), in the smallest third one - nearly 3:1. Thus, according to alternative features, the two studied coenopopulations are completely stable having an almost equal ratio of both morphotypes. The number of ovules in long-styled and short-styled flowers lies in the same range, which indicates the potential equal probability of obtaining the same ratio of different plant forms in the next generation.

This paper analyzes the secondary range and peculiarities of the early stages of development of Chaerophyllym aureum, an alien Umbelliferae species, which appeared in European Russia in the 20th century; one of the first herbaria (Moscow oblast) dates back to 1924. The species is most often found in the secondary range in anthropogenic habitats: near railways, on wastelands, more seldom in meadows and at edges of deciduous forests. In the regions represented by the herbaria, C. aureum is successively naturalized and creates stable self-supporting populations. It has a set of helio-mesomorphic structural features which permits it to take roots in relatively open moderately moist habitats and compete with aboriginal species. Such properties as the high rate of germination and significant polymorphism in morphology, size, and time of development of premature C. aureum individuals, which were revealed in this work, can promote the successful naturalization of the species in the secondary range.

The ontogenesis, age structure of population and the potential seed production of Chaerophyllum aureum L . an actively spreading in Central Russia alien Umbelliferae species have been studied. As a result eight phases in the large life cycle of C. aureum have been identified. Ontogenetic spectrum of the population is close to bimodal. Maximum peak is observed in old generative individuals. The resulting distribution shows that the species has high germination ability, high mortality of young plants and significant length of generative period. The average number of flowers per shoot is about 3635, potential seed production averages 7270 ovules per shoot. The average number of mature fruits is nearly 836, it is about 17% of the all flowers formed on the shoot.From the data obtained it follows that C. aureum has some potential to further spreading in disturbed and some natural habitats of Central Russia, its populations are able to naturalize and exist for a long time in the new territories. This is possible because of high rate of seed germination, long generative period, high degree of inflorescences branching and large number of flowering shoots per plant, as well as effective particulation. The main factors interfering with fast spread of C. aureum in secondary habitat may be high mortality of young individuals, low real seed production and absence of long-term persistent soil seed bank.

In this article, the life forms of Apiaceae species growing in central Russia are described, classified and discussed. Different biomorphological parameters are used. In general, the spectrum of life forms on this family is not that large. Based on such features as life span, number of fruitings and structure of underground organs, 14 biomorphological types could be distinguished. Short rhizomatous polycarpic or monocarpic plants with a tap root, or also adventive roots, and a sympodial semi-rosette shoot system with di-polycyclic shoots dominate. Vegetative mobility is weakly expressed: nearly 85% of plants are monocentric. The main strategy for dispersal is by seed propagation. Life forms of many Apiaceae are evolutionary labile: all possible transitions from perennial polycarps to typical annuals and subsequent returns to perennial life style, not only in different species but sometimes also in one and the same species, can be observed. Poly-variation is found also in plant morphology. The obtained data allowed to work out biomorphological diagnoses, i.e. analogies of systematical diagnoses that can be applied in studies of the systematics, ecology or economical use of the taxa.