ИСТИНА

The Botanical garden of MSU founded in 1705 by Peter I is one of the oldest in Russia. Since 1977 the Garden studies the questions of natural plant conservation. The researches are conducted in different ways, which are complemented each other and allow to collaborate with other institutes. First of all, there is investigation of native flora of Russia. As a consequence of it, the creation of more than 100 natural plant reserves (important plant areas) was proposed and the composition of Plant Red Lists of the Russia and some its regions was specified. Together with the Ministry of Nature Resources of RF the preparation of the Red Data Book of Russian Federation (2008) was organized and descriptions for some plant species were made. Now it includes 514 rare and threatened species of vascular plants (474 Angiospermae, 14 Gymnospermae, 23 Pteridophyta, 3 Lycopodiophyta), as well as 61 mosses, 35 algae, 42 lichens and 24 fungi species. Among them, 135 species are endemics of Russia and 99 species are near-endemics, growing both in Russia and one of the neighboring countries. Many endemic species belong to the families Fabaceae (16 and 24 relatively) and Asteraceae (10 and 10). 277 (58%) species of Angiosperms from Red Data Book of RF are under protection in zapovedniks. However, the majority of them grow only in one or in just several of them, 14 % species grow in national parks and reserves, and 131 species (28%) do not have territorial protection. Cultivation of many rare and endangered species in the Botanical Garden of MSU serves to educational and scientific programs. In our collection there are 115 (22,4%) species of vascular plants from Red Data Book of Russia and 90 (44%) rare species from Red Data Book of the Moscow region. In addition, investigations of state of population (ecology, age structure, reproductive biology and so on) of rare species in natural conditions are also carried out. Special attention was paid to the Russian orchids. As a result, two books were published. There are Vakhrameeva M.G. et al. Orchids of Russia and Adjacent Countries (within the borders of the former USSR) (2008) and Vakhrameeva M.G., Varlygina T.I., Tatarenko I.V. Orchids of Russia (biology, ecology and protection) (2014). The books include information about species area, ecology, morphology, ontogenesis, seasonal rhythm, and protection. In 2015 together with the Russian Research Institute of Nature Protection methodic recommendations for restoration and translocation of rare plants populations were prepared.