Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 35/2. (2015)
Botany
LIGULARIA SIBIRICA (L.) CASS. CHOROLOGY IN ROMANIA AND EUROPE, ALONG WITH WORLDWIDE CHOROLOGY OF GENUS LIGULARIA Andreea Natalia MATEI University of Pitesti, Tärgu din Vale Street Nr. 1, RO—110040 Pitejti, andreeamic_natalia@yahoo.com Abstract: Climate oscillations that happened during postglacial and glacial periods caused the migration of some plant species to optimum survival conditions. This paper aims to present the distribution of Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, relict species at European and national level, as well as the worldwide Ligularia genus chorology using bibliographic sources and personal research in the field. The presentation of the main factors affecting the existence of Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, species in the habitats of Romania, complements this study. Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, is found in habitats as: marshy grassland, meadow areas, wet soils, eutrophic and oligotrophic marshes or in peat bogs with forest vegetation. Activities such as overgrazing and agricultural drainage works are the main reasons that can cause the extinction of this species. Romania and Southern France assure optimal conditions for the development and conservation of Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass, populations. Keywords: Ligularia genus, Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass., chorology. Introduction Ligularia genus belongs to the Asteraceae family, including perennial species with short rhizomes and hairless or pubescent short roots. Basal leaves are well developed, arranged in rosette, palmately or pinnately veined with a long petiole. The leaves are fewer in number, alternates on the stem, being similar to basal leaves and decrease in size starting from the base of the plant to the inflorescence. Also the petiole is short with or without sheath. Medium and large capitula are arranged in raceme. The central flowers are hermaphrodite, the radial ones are ligulate and female. Involucre is campanulate with phyllaries in one row, at the base with small and few scales. The receptacle is nude and the cylindrical achenes are with or without pappus. [26, 33] Ligularia sibirica (Linnaeus) Cassini (Diet. Sci. Nat. XXVI: 402. May. 1823) The species is perennial with a short and thick rhizome, with long lateral roots, fleshy, fasciculated, wich shows the fibrous petiole remains from the previous years. The stem is straight, vigorous, with a height till 200 cm, cylindrical, ribbed, glabrescent or coarse hairy. Basal and stem leaves have very long petioles, being deltoid-ovate or deltoid-reniforme. The medium leaves are similar to the basal ones, with short petiole. The inflorescence is erect, the blooming ones measuring 3—4 cm in diameter, with a long peduncle almost as involucre, with longer bracteole than the peduncle and pendent capitula after blooming. The achenes are glabrous, cylindrical, M A R I S I A, XXXV, p. 57-64
