Autochthonous vitamin-bearing plants of the Kiev Plateau

Abstract

Aim. To compile and analyze an annotated list of autochthonous vitamin-bearing plant species of the Kiev Plateau, which according to ethnobotanical traditions are often used by the population of this region. Methods. The research was carried out in 2002–2021 in natural phytocoenoses of the Kyiv Plateau and artificial phytocoenoses of  M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG). Research methods are field and cameral. Dozens of locals were surveyed to find out which autochthonous vitamin-bearing plant species are most commonly used by the region's population. Latin names of plants are given according to the generally accepted taxonomy (Mosyakin & Fedoronchuk, 1999). A linear system (Golubev, 1972) was used for biomorphological analysis. The classification scheme of florocoenotypes (Kamelin, 1973) was used for ecologo-coenotic analysis. Results. An annotated list of autochthonous vitamin-bearing plant species of the Kyiv Plateau, which is frequently used by the population of the region, is given. The spectrum of families, biomorphological and ecologo-coenotic spectra, and priority of use of certain parts of plants are analyzed. Conclusions. The annotated list describes 43 species of plants belonging to 36 genera and 21 families. Rosaceae (26%) has the largest share in the spectrum of families. The biomorphological spectrum is dominated by herbaceous plants (61%), namely, herbaceous polycarpics (49%). In the ecologo-cenotic spectrum, the largest share is occupied by species of forest (42%) and meadow (33%) florocoenotypes. For practical use, the population of the region most often collects aboveground parts of plants, in particular, aboveground shoots (46%) or aboveground shoots and fruits (33%). All plant species listed in the annotated list are presented ex situ in the NBG. More than half of them (65.1%) are exhibited on the botanical-geographical plot “Steppes of Ukraine” of the NBG.