Ecological-morphological features of the East Kazakhstan endemic Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. (Fabaceae)

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in the directions determination of environment conservation. It requires an execution of many application strategies of natural resources for plants’ condition evaluation and solution of their problems. Study of morphological features of medicinal plant Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. distributed in East Kazakhstan is the aim of the research in conservation of biodiversity. The population has been investigated by route-observation research method, 1794 m above sea level at GPS coordinates 50о19‘5.969N, 83о52’44.270Е in Ivanov gorge of Altai Mountains (Kazakhstan). H. theinum Krasnob. is an endemic, perennial, main rooted species with 4–8 pairs of leaf, pink-purple corolla, egg shaped seeds in Altai, Central Asian mountains and Mongolia that represents Fabaceae family. There is a need in deep study of H. theinum Krasnob. because valuable medicinal plants found in Eastern Kazakhstan are not investigated sufficiently and growth area is reduced.

Biological features of high altitude rare medicinal plant species Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. in Western Siberia cultivation

The paper summarizes the results of a long-term introduction study of a rare alpine plant Hedysarum theinum Krasnob., which is widely used in medicine. We found that the species demonstrates sufficiently high seed productivity with adequate agrotechnical care under introduction conditions. Nevertheless, there were cases of a single lack of fruiting, which cannot be considered a reaction to different ecological conditions since these phenomena can also be observed in natural habitats; most likely, this is a feature of the reproductive biology of the species. The phenological characteristics, seed productivity, and seed germination of the species are given, and the range of variation in signs of the vegetative and generative spheres is established. The introduction assessment indicates high plasticity and a high degree of the species adaptation.

Chromatography of Hedysarum extracts on modified Sepharose CL sorbents

Aim. To study the chromatographic efficiency of modified Sepharose CL-4B sorbents for separation, purification, and preparation of major components from Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. and Hedysarum neglectum Ledeb. root extracts.Materials and Methods. Sorption capacity of the native and modified sepharose was evaluated in both isocratic and gradient elution modes. 4-pyridinecarboxylic acid derivative [(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methylene]hydrazide (ftivazide) was used as a sorbent modifier ligand. We studied chromatographic properties of Sepharose CL-4B, Sepharose CL-6B, and azoepoxyadsorbent Sepharose CL-4B-DEP-p-nitrobenzohydrazide-ftivazide, a chemically modified analogue of Sepharose CL-4B.Results. Sepharose CL-4B and Sepharose CL-4B-DEP-p-nitrobenzohydrazide-ftivazide were found efficient carriers for liquid column chromatography of water-ethanol Hedysarum extracts. Complete elution of bioactive substances has been achieved exclusively by using sodium tetraborate as an eluent. We were able to identify flavonoids and tannins of different condensation in chromatographic fractions.Conclusion. Comparative chromatography of bioactive substances from Hedysarum root extracts is more efficient if employing Sepharose CL-4B instead of Sepharose CL-6B as a sorbent. Sepharose CL-4B-DEP-p-nitrobenzohydrazide-ftivazide demonstrates excellent separation capacity for tannins and flavonoids.

The diversity and ecological-phytocoenotic characteristics of the birch krummholz (Betula tortuosa Ledeb.) in Altai-Sayan mountain region

The birch krummholz with Betula tortuosa Ledeb dominance occur in the most humid regions of Kuznetsky Alatau, Altai and Eastern Sayan within the Altai-Sayan mountain system (Zolotovskiy, 1938; Kuminova, 1960; Malyshev, 1965; Maskaev, 1976; Sedelnikov, 1979, 1988; Zibzeev, 2006). Mean annual precipitation in the Kuznetsky Alatau is 2000 mm (up to 3000 mm in some years). In the Tigirekskiy ridge study area the precipitation is 1500 mm. The deep snow (up to 1.5 m) protects grounds fr om freezing. The birch krummholz occupy the large areas on the variously exposed slopes at 950–1200 m in the Kuznetsky Alatau and at 1250–1350 m in Altai. These communities, known only in three places of the Altai-Sayan mountain system and listed in the ”Green Book of Siberia“ (1996), occur in the lower and middle parts of the subalpine belt on permanently moist slopes. According to the Braun-Blanquet approach the birch krummholz of the studied area are represented by three associations, two subassociations and one variant (ass. Cirsio heterophylli–Stemmacanthetum carthamoidis Zitluchina ex Ermakov et al. 2000, subass. C. h.–S. c. betuletosum tortuosae nov. hoc loco, ass. Doronico altaicae–Betuletum tortuosae nov. hoc loco, ass. Abieteto sibiricae–Athyrietum distentifoliae Ermakov et al. 2000, subass. A. s.–A. d. sorbetosum sibiricae Ermakov et al. 2000, var. Betula tortuosa). The birch krummholz of the Tigirekskiy ridge are referred to ass. Violo disjunctae–Betuletum tortuosae nov. hoc loco, and three subassociations (V. d.–b. t. typicum nov. hoc loco, V. d.–b. t. saussureetosum frolowii nov. hoc loco, V. d.–b. t. dracocephaletosum grandiflori nov. hoc loco.). All syntaxa are included into Mulgedio-Aconitetea Hadac et Klika in Klika et Hadac 1944 class, Trollio–Crepidetalia sibiricae Guinochet ex Chytry et al. 1993 order, Aconito pascoi–Geranion albiflori Zhitlukhina et Onishchenko ex Ermakov et al. 2000 alliance. The geographical isolation of birch krummholz affects their species composition and coenoflora structure. There are 99 species in the coenoflora of the Kuznetsky Alatau birch krummholz and 108 species in the Tigirekskiy ridge. The latter coenoflora contains specific species that can be divided into two groups. The first group includes the endemics of the Altai as well as Altai-Sayan mountain system as a whole(Hedysarum theinum, Hieracium korshinskyi, Ptarmica ledebourii, Sanguisorba alpina, Viola disjuncta, ­Phleum alpinum, Phlomoides alpina, Dracocephalum grandiflorum). The second group is represented by forest and forest-meadow species absent in the birch krummholz of the Kuznetsky Alatau (Carex pediformis, Cruciata krylovii, Galium boreale, Geum rivale, Iris ruthenica, Melica nutans, Pyrola minor). The studied communities have exact ecological and topological localizations. In the Kuznetsky Alatau the tall-forb birch krummholz of C. h.–S. c. betuletosum tortuosae are mostly common at high leveled parts of the slopes (3–5°) wh ere they alternate with subalpine meadows. The birch krummholz of ass. Doronico altaicae–Betuletum tortuosae occupy moist, usually cold, habitats. In these communities with the remarkably reduced coenotic role of tall-forbs the herb layer is mainly formed by subalpine and alpine meadow species. The communities of ass. Violo disjunctae–Betuletum tortuosae with three subassociations occur in wet conditions on leveled terraces, as well as on relatively flat slopes (0–2°) close to the tree line. A specific feature of the Tigirekskiy ridge birch krummholz coenoflora is a large number of forest species.