Have your ever go to Russia? Russia is one of the most beautiful country in Eastern Europe. Russia is well known by its Kremlin, Saint Petersburg City, and the famous president , Mr.Vladimir Putin. Since decades ago, they are really famous by their beauty not only from the city, but also their uniquess of the flora and the fauna.
One of the most recognize animal in Russia is the Polar bear, which is now near threatened because of the climate change and by the human itself. If the previous article we talk about the endangered species of the animal in Russia, today we want to tell you 6 most endangered species of Plants in Russia. Not only the animals, plants in Russia are critically endangered because of the expansion of the human, not adaptable anymore to climate change , and so on.
Many of the plants on our list were not only be found in Russia, several countries near Russia has it. But another number in the list can only be found in limited areas within Russia. The human alterations to these plants habitat, including the pollution, deforestation, and the introduction of invasive species. These would make detrimental to endemic species and cannot adapted to another habitat in the other land. Because of the limited area of habitat for several plants, if their original habitat destroyed, the plants will be extinct. So here it is, enjoy the article.
1. Betula Spp.
We have first list of endangered species of plants on Betula Spp. It is the latin name of the plant called “Birch”. The birch is well known for its thin-leaved hardwood tree of the genus Betula. These plants is closely related to beech-oak family of Fagacae. These plant typically rather short-lived pioneer species widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the northern area. This species have the scientific classification:
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Angiosperms
- Clade : Eudicots
- Clade : Rosids
- Order : Fagales
- Family : Betulacceae
- Genus : Betula spp.
These species are generally small to medium-sized trees, which is in northern temperate and boreal climates. The bark of the betula mostly realize by long, horizontal lenticles, papery plates, and have the paper birch. The wood of the all species is close-grained with satiny texture, and capable of taking a fine polish.
The flower of the plants are monoecious and their staminate amments are pendulous, were clustered or solitarity in the axils of the last leaves of the branch of the year .
The main habitat of beluta is in even-aged stands of light, well-wet and drained, and usually need the acidic soils. Beluta are early species which become in primary succescions, and this plant will become the threat to land if we wont do from the periodic burning.
The wood from beluta is quite strong which easy to shape with power tools. Don’t force yourself to work with hand tools.
2. Chosenia arbutifolia
These plants were near threatened from the conservation status. Chosenia are easy to find in Russia Far East or other country such as Korea. By the way, the name of the plant were inspired by the Korean culture. Named chosenia from the Joseon dynasty which ruled Korea until the end of 1897. These plant were closely related with Salix (related genus).
The plants has deciduous characteristic, which is tending to fall off (the references to trees and the shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn which is the leaves will fall, shedding the petals, flowers, and the fruits.
The plants has the scientific classification:
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Angioperms
- Clade : Eudicots
- Clade : Rosids
- Order : Malphigiales
- Family : Salicaceae
- Genus : Chosenia
- Species : Chosenia Arbutifolia
3. Mamillariella Geniculata
These plant were well known for the moss species in the family of leskeaceae. This moss is endemic species in Russia. However, due to difficult adaption in several habitat, these plants were endangered species known from only five locations in Russia Far East. The location of the Russian Far East is in the Khabarovsk. The development and human invasion forms a deciduous forest habitat . The known area of occupancy is less than 500 km2. However, the habitat of this species seems to be declining. Therefore it meets the IUCN criteria for Endangered based on the small fragmented area, the decline of habitat quality and declining number of locations.
The scientific classification of these plants are :
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Division : Bryophyta
- Class : Bryopsida
- Order : Bryales
- Family : Leskeaceae
- Genus : Mamillariella
- Species : Mamilariella Geniculata
4. Marsh Earwort
These plant is unique. They have alias name, such Jamesoniella undulifolia , or marsh flawort. (Until now I have no idea why they have so many alias name) The Marsh earwort, is a species of liverwort in the Jungermanniacceae family. These plants were spreading across Russia and several countries in the world like Austria, China, Czech, Denmark , Finland , France, Germany, and so on. The optimal habitat of these plants is swamps. Now, after the human development across the land of Russia, the plants now threatened. A decline of populations has occurred in at least part of its distribution area, andmore than 20% of its populations have probably disappeared within the last 30 years . Therefore this species meets the IUCN criteria for Vulerable.
The scientific classification of the plants are:
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Division : Marchantiophyta
- Class : Jungermanniopsida
- Order : Jungermanniales
- Family : Jungermanniaceae
- Genus : Jamesoniella
- Species : J. Undulifolia
5. Orthodontopsis Bardunovii
Have you ever heard about this plant? These plant is unique, and you only found these plant from Altai and Sayan Mountains. Orthodontopsis Bardunovii is a species of moss in the family Orthodontiaceae. These plant is endemic in Russia. Because of the limited habitat and the deforestation, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species giving “Endangered”status on 2015. The scientific classification of these plants are:
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Division : Bryophyta
- Class : Bryopsida
- Subclass : Bryidae
- Order : Brylaes
- Family : Orthodontiaceae
- Genus : Orthodontopsis
- Species : O. Bardunovii
6. Scapania Sphaerifera
The scapania Sphaerifera is another endemic plants which endangered in Russia. Scapania is the species of plants in the Scapaniace family and firstly described in 1936. This species was initially listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, but with the discovery of new localities it no longer qualifies for a threatened listing as it seems that the species may be commoner than previously thought and may not be undergoing continuing decline .However, it is listed as Near Threatened as it close to meeting the criteria for listing under criteria of Endangered.
The liverwort was first described in 1936 by collectors in the Murmansk museum and considered as an endemic plant since a long time. They have mainly been found on acidic shaded boulder in ravines with high air humidity or on fine earth between boulders In rock fields. Human activities, climate change are the major threats of these plants.
Altough not all of these plants we know in the article, many of them are beautiful and endemic, which is we only found that plant when we travel to specific location in Russia. It is important to keep the habitat good enough and prevent any human development into their specific location. And thats the 6 most endangered species of plants in Russia.