Flora of Crimea: names, photos and characteristics. Plants of the Red Book of Crimea - photo and description Rare plants and animals of the southern coast of Crimea

End of April/May - most best time to visit the Crimea. It is still not very hot, the greenery has not burned out, there are no crowds of people, as in summer.
But the main attraction of this time is the flowers.

Below are photographs and descriptions of Crimean flowers taken in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, during the May holidays (end of April/beginning of May). Basically, the Bakhchisarai, Yalta and Sudak regions of Crimea are represented.

DREAM-GRASS, CRIMEAN SHOT (Pulsatilla taurica)

He’s a snowy tulip, he’s a sonchik, he’s a grass-grass, he’s a pine forest, he’s a shooter, he’s a rascal, he’s a beaver.
It grows in the mountains, oak forests, mountain meadows, steppe areas of the foothills and rocky slopes.
The most beautiful spring Crimean flower - you can admire it and photograph it endlessly.
Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine

Sleep Grass. May 2005 Chatyr-Dag

Sleep Grass. May 2005 Chatyr-Dag

Sleep Grass. April 2004 Chatyr-Dag

Sleep Grass. 2.05.03 Yalta Yayla

Sleep Grass. May 2005 Chatyr-Dag

Sleep Grass. 5.05.07 Angar-Burun

FOLDED SNOWDROP (Galanthus plicatus M. Bieb.)

Folded snowdrop (Galanthus plicatus) - a species that differs from other species in folded leaves with a bluish bloom, with folds bent to the underside.
It was previously considered as an endemic Crimean species, but now the habitats of the folded snowdrop have been identified in the Caucasus, Turkey, Romania and Moldova.
Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine

4.05.07 Not far from t/s "Boyko"

Snowdrop. May 2005 Chatyr-Dag

Snowdrop. 1.05.03 Grand Canyon

Scilla bifolia L.

It is also the Crimean Scilla (Scilla taurica (Regel) Fuss), it is also the Snow Scilla (Scilla nivalis Boiss.). Glades overgrown with a blueberry mixed with a snowdrop look very nice.

Scilla. 02.05.03 Ascent to Roman-Kosh

CRIMEAN CROCUS (Crocus tauricus (Trautv.) Puring)

He is Crimean saffron. Endemic Crimean Caucasian species. It grows in the mountains on open stony places, grassy slopes of yail. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Crocus Crimean.4.05.07 Not far from Ai-Petri

Crocus Crimean.1.05.03 Yalta yayla

PRIMROSES (PRIMULOSES) Primula

It grows in the southern regions of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, South and Central Europe. The species is similar to the spring primrose, but with an undeveloped flower arrow. Flowering from April. The plant is cold-resistant - blooms on the edge of the snow.
The ancient Greeks believed that the primrose was able to heal from all ailments and called it "the flower of the twelve gods."

In the old German sagas, the primrose is the keys of the spring goddess Freya. With the help of these keys, the beautiful goddess, adorned with a multi-colored rainbow necklace, opens the real warmth after a long winter. Wherever her rainbow falls, golden keys appear there, and spring flowers sprout from them - primroses.

The Danes are sure that the princess of the elves herself has been turned into a primrose. Once the spirits released the girl to the ground, and there she fell in love with the young man, forgetting about her relatives. For this, the spirits turned the princess into a primrose, and her lover into an anemone.

In Rus', the primrose was affectionately called lambs. There was even such a custom: to throw plucked lambs under one's feet and stomp - for longevity.

The British have a primrose - a favorite flower. It is grown in gardens and vegetable gardens, taken with them on trips, given to loved ones. By English fairy tales, gnomes hide in primroses, and if you go out into the clearing in the spring, you can hear a chorus of gentle voices from the flowers.

Common primrose (Рrimula vulgaris) or stemless (Primula acaulis) April 2004. Area of t / s "Boyko"

Road overgrown with primroses.26.04.03 from Eski-Kermen to Shuldan

Primula Sibthorpa (Primula sibthorpii) 04/25/03 Near Eski-Kermen

Common primrose.25.04.03 near the Red Poppy

VIOLETS

There are many different ones in Crimea. Especially beautiful and large ones are found on the yayla. The yellow and blue look very pretty.

Violet dog (Viola canina)25.04.03 near Eski-Kermen

Fragrant violet (Viola odorata)25.04.03 near Eski-Kermen

Mountain Violet (Viola oreades Bieb.) April 2004 Ai-Petri Yayla

Mountain Violet (Viola oreades Bieb.) April 2004 Ai-Petri Yayla

Field of violets. April 2004 Eski-Kermen

Kupena fragrant (Polygonatum odoratum)

She was bought medicinal, bought pharmacy (Polygonatum officinale L.), she is Solomon's seal. It grows on drying, slightly acidic, rich, humus, loose, mostly shallow, sandy, stony and clay soils: in forests, shrubs and slopes. Edge-forest view. The plant is poisonous.

Bought fragrant. April 2004 Eski-Kermen

Dubious poppy (Papaver dubium L.)

Doubtful poppy - annual herbaceous plant 30-60 cm high. It blooms in April-June. Grows on dry stony, gravel, clay slopes, among shrubs, on sands, in forest-steppe and steppe, in fields, along roads, in mountains up to the mid-mountain belt. Poisonous.

Mac is questionable. April 2004 p. Red poppy

IBERIAN, STENNIK (Iberis)

The name of the plant indicates the area of \u200b\u200bnatural distribution: Iberia, as Spain used to be called. The genus includes about 40 species distributed in the Mediterranean and Central Europe.

Iberian forms dense rounded cushions, which during the flowering period, in April-May, seem to be powdered with snow due to lilac-white flowers. In Crimea, they live on rocky places, in the mountains, on the South Coast.

There are rocky Iberian (Ib.saxatilis), Crimean Iberian (Ib.taurica), very rarely - bitter Iberian (Ib.amara) and pinnate Iberian (Ib.pinnata). These species differ mainly in leaf shape.

Candytuft. 1.05.03 Great Crimean Canyon

FRINGED POULTRY (Ornithogalum fimbriatum Willd)
He is also a fibrous bird-man, he is a ciliated bird-man.
It grows in forests along the edges, in the steppes, on the yayla. From the subgenus Ornithogalum. Plants no more than 12 cm tall. The arrow is covered with hairs. Blooms in mid-spring, up to 15 days.

poultry farmer. April 2003 District of the Pavilion of the Winds

Paeonia tenuifolia L. (P. lithophila Kotov, P. biebersteiniana Rupr.)

He is a narrow-leaved peony. Herbaceous perennial up to 50 cm tall. It grows on meadow steppes, on leached chernozems, on mountain slopes. Blooms in May. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Peony thin-leaved. April 2004 and 05.05.07 On the ascent to Chatyr-Dag

Peony thin-leaved. April 2004 Chatyr-Dag

Thin-leaved peony thickets 29.04.08 Slopes of Lyalel-Oba

CRIMEAN PEONY (Paeonia daurica)

It is also a Taurian peony (Paeonia taurica auct.), it is also a three-fold peony (Paeonia triternata) Endemic of Crimea. It grows in light forests, typically in the undergrowth of oak forests. It is massively found at altitudes from 200 meters to upper bound forests. Blooms in May. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine

Peony Crimean. April 2004 Eski-Kermen

MUSCARI (Muscari neglectum Guss)

He is a viper onion unnoticed, he is also a mouse hyacinth.
Low, up to 15 cm tall, bulbous perennial of the lily family.
It grows in sunny stony glades, on the edges of the forest. Often forms a solid blue carpet. Blooms in April-May.

Muscari. End of April 2004 Chatyr-Dag

Muscari. 25.04.03 Eski-Kermen

Dwarf IRIS (Iris pumila) OR CRIMEAN IRIS (Iris taurica. Iridaceae)

He is a low iris, he is also a dwarf iris.
Herbaceous perennial 10-20 cm tall. Grows in steppes, on grassy slopes, on stony and thin soils, at altitudes from 300 to 700 m above sea level, rarely descends to 50 m and rises to 900-1000 m.

Violet and yellow irises 29.04.08 Slopes of Lyalel-Oba

Dwarf iris. April 2004 Eski Kermen

Dwarf irises. 04/25/03 near the village. Red poppy

EAST ARONNIK (Arum orientale Bieb., A. maculatum auct.)

Relic species, belongs to one of the oldest genera of tropical origin in Ukraine. Perennial herbaceous plant 20-30 cm high. Grows in shady forests. A very specific smell. Blooms in May. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine

Eastern Aronnik. April 2004 near Shuldan Monastery

TULIP SHRENK (Tulipa schrenkii Regel)

He is Gesner's tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.). Plants are 10-40 cm tall. stem b. hours naked, sometimes pubescent. Leaves recurved, sickle-shaped, spaced, more or less curly, glabrous or pubescent, not exceeding the flower. Single flower, red or yellow. The tepals are relatively short, wide, obtuse. The spot at their base is black, with a yellow border, yellow or absent. Blooms in April. It grows mainly in the steppe Crimea, as well as in the foothills and on the South Coast.

Tulip Schrenk 29.04.08 Slopes of Lyalel-Oba

LOW ALMOND (Amygdalus nana L.)

He is a beaver, he is a dwarf almond, he is a steppe almond.
It grows in the zone of herb-meadow steppes, in hollows, along ravines, beams.

Thickets of dwarf almonds. 29.04.08 near the t/s "Ai-Serez"

ADONIS SPRING (Adonis vernalis L.)

He is the spring adonis, he is the spring old oak. Blooms in May
in the steppes, along the outskirts of forests, on lighted forest glades, steppe slopes, meadows. Very bright and beautiful flower.

Spring Adonis. 29.04.08 Upper reaches of the Ai-Serez river

ASPHODELINA YELLOW Asphodeline Lutea (L.) Reichend

A rare endangered eastern Mediterranean species. Herbaceous perennial with a thick high, up to 60 cm, stem. The stem from the base to the inflorescence is covered with dagger-shaped, trihedral fleshy leaves. The flower brush is dense, long and consists of large greenish-yellow flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter. The tepals have a characteristic green vein. After flowering, a fruit is formed - a large box. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine

Asphodelina yellow (Asphodeline lutea) 29.04.08 t/s Maski in Ukraine is found only in the Crimea

ORCHID(Orchidaceae)

Wild-growing orchids are the most wonderful flowers of the spring Crimea.
According to various sources, 20-39 species of orchids grow in Crimea. All are listed in the Red Book. Populations of wild-growing orchids are small and continue to decline mainly due to deforestation and the destruction of flowers for bouquets.
Basically, there are orches (purple, monkey), I was lucky to stumble upon the rarest Crimean ofris, of which there are only a few specimens left.

04/27/08 Fox Bay. Orchis painted (dotted) (Orchis picta Loisel.)

Crimean ophrys Ophrys taurica Nevski

Orchis simia Lam.

Purple Orchis Orchis purpurea Huds.

Orchis punctulata

Wolf's orchis Orchis x wulffiana and steveniella satyrioides Steveniella satyrioides Schlechter

Orches April 2004

The following wonderful resources were used in the preparation of the material:
1) http://www.plantarium.ru On-line plant guide
An open illustrated atlas of vascular plants in Russia and neighboring countries.
2) http://family-travel.narod.ru/flora/flora.html Photo herbarium. Wild plants of the Crimea.
3) http://mail.menr.gov.ua/publ/redbook/redbook.php Chervona book of Ukraine.

It is known that the Bible mentions many plants. Some of them are widespread in Russia - wheat, barley, apple, narcissus, lily, blackthorn, wormwood, etc. Others can be found only in the south, including when relaxing in the Crimea. The botanical affiliation of some is obvious, while others are still disputed. For example, no one knows what kind of gopher from which Noah built his ark, some translate this word as acacia, others - Lebanese cedar, others - cypress. Therefore, we will not argue that all the plants mentioned in the article are exactly those that the authors of the Bible had in mind, but this does not make them less interesting.

Which of the plants of the Bible grow in the Crimea

Fig tree(fig, fig). This plant is mentioned many times in the Bible. It was fig leaves that Adam and Eve covered themselves with after they ate the forbidden fruit and realized that nudity is not good. Jesus cursed the same tree near Jerusalem for lack of fruit.

The fig sings

In Crimea, figs feel great on the South Coast and in Sevastopol, in some places they have run wild and grow on their own. In other parts of the peninsula, it has to be covered for the winter. Locals make excellent jam from figs, be sure to try it!

Lebanese cedar is mentioned 75 times in the Bible. For example, with his bark, the prophet Moses ordered the rabbis to treat leprosy and disinfect wounds during circumcision. It was used in the construction of the Jerusalem temples and, perhaps, Noah's Ark was built from it.

Primorsky Boulevard, Sevastopol

In Crimea, it can be found in almost all South Coast parks and just on the streets.

Burning bush(fraxinella). Careless tourists remember meeting with this plant forever. The thing is, touching it beautiful flower you can’t smell it either, otherwise blisters appear on the affected areas the next day, as if from a burn, which soon burst and expose bare meat.

Yasenets near the Black River near Sevastopol

This plant is called unburnt for an interesting property - its fruits contain essential oils, and in such quantities that if, during the period of seed ripening in sunny calm weather, a match is brought to the bush, the air around will flare up for a second, and the plant will remain unharmed. Not all researchers agree that the Bible mentions exactly the ash tree. They remind that there was a bush with thorns, which the ash does not have.

olive tree(European or cultivated olive, European olive, olive tree) On the southern coast of Crimea there are old olive groves that look like they were planted in biblical times:

Olive grove in Nikitsky botanical garden

This useful oil-bearing plant was apparently brought here along with grapes by ancient Greek settlers.

Olive trees in the park of the sanatorium. Aivazovsky in Partenit

In the Bible, olives, the tree itself, flowers, fruits, olive oil, are mentioned both directly and allegorically. For example, King David owned olive orchards, oil was added and added to the myrrh. A dove brings an olive branch to Noah, thus indicating that the flood is ending. It is also held in the hands of the Archangel Gabriel, telling the Virgin Mary the good news.

Palm. With palm branches, the inhabitants of Jerusalem met Jesus Christ. John the Theologian saw the saints before the throne of God with palm branches in their hands. There are many palm alleys and separately growing trees on the southern coast of Crimea. They tolerate short-term frosts and even snowfalls well.

Palm trees in Gurzuf, in the sanatorium "Pushkino"

In the Nikitsky Botanical Garden you can admire a whole collection of these heat-loving plants:

One of the palm groves of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden

Moreover, the palmarium is expanding and in recent years many new species have been planted.

One of the corners of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden

Grape. More often than this plant in the Bible, only the olive tree is found. Raisins, vines, wine, vineyards are mentioned in the Holy Book in connection with a variety of events.

Grape varieties "Moldova"

For example, King David takes raisins on the road, and he also receives them from Abigail with other gifts. Jesus on the cross is smeared with a sponge soaked in sour wine. Often grapes are used allegorically, for example, identifying Christ with the true vine, and his followers with its branches.

Old vineyard near the village of Chernorechye

In Crimea, grapes have been grown almost since biblical times, and therefore many autochthonous varieties have been preserved here, there are also wines made from them, for example, the famous Black Doctor.

New vineyard in the vicinity of the village. Angular

Hyssop is mentioned in the Bible 12 times and each time it is associated with some kind of ritual that helps to cleanse, whiten, protect, anesthetize something. Now this volatile plant is also used in medicinal and culinary purposes, and simply decorates the streets of southern cities. In Crimea, it can be found in the most different places, in parks, squares, flowerbeds.

hyssop blooms

Juniper mentioned in the Bible in connection with the life of the prophet Elijah, who rests under it, and then finds food under it. Again, the researchers argue whether it was exactly a juniper or the translation is incorrect, and if it is a juniper, then what kind?

Junipers at Cape Sarych

Grow in the Crimea different types junipers, some of them are listed in the Red Book, so when buying products from its wood, tourists either indulge poachers or acquire fakes - products from other wood soaked in coniferous oils.

Juniper right on the rock - a typical Crimean picture

Saffron(crocus) is mentioned in Scripture only once - in Old Testament in the Song of Songs of Solomon listed as fragrant plants next to nard, calamus, cinnamon and myrrh.

Crocus - one of the Crimean snowdrops

In Crimea, it can be found everywhere, in forests, on city lawns, in front gardens. local residents. Its delicate flowers can also be found in autumn - these colchicums:

Autumn saffron on the Omega beach in Sevastopol

And these crocuses were taken on the Baydar Pass, where they, along with bright blue scillas in early spring bloom in mountain forests under the crowns of trees that have not yet spread their leaves:

Saffron on the Baydar Pass

Cypress It is mentioned 7 times in the Bible. For example, in the Old Testament, in the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the Lord promises to open springs and plant plants in the desert – cedar, myrtle, olive, cypress, sycamore…. Now the Crimean landscapes cannot be imagined without these dark green candles. It is hard to believe that they were created not by nature, but by people - the ancient Greeks brought them out of the local wild form with horizontal branches. Most likely, the authors of the Bible meant it.

Alley of old cypresses in Simeiz

In the Crimea, the pyramidal cypress was settled twice. First, he arrived here with Greek settlers in the 1st millennium BC, and when they practically left the peninsula, the cypresses gradually disappeared too - the old ones died over time, no one was engaged in breeding new ones. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in the 18th century, this volatile plant was brought back.

Judas tree(Purple or Cercis European, Judaic tree). Once upon a time it was brought to the Crimea as an ornamental culture, but it grows wild and now often grows on its own, especially in Sevastopol and its environs. Its main feature is that flowers bloom not only at the ends of the branches, but also right on the trunks.

Flowers on the trunk of a Judas tree

There are two versions of the appearance of this name. According to the first, it was on its branches that Judas Iscariot strangled himself, according to the other, the birthplace of this plant is Judea, and it is named after him.

Crimson blooms - Judaic tree

By the way, there are many versions of what Judas hanged himself on. These are aspen, because of which its foliage still trembles with horror, birch, whose trunk has turned white with fear, alder, the wood of which, allegedly since then, has acquired a reddish color, elderberry, mountain ash, etc. In general, almost every nation has its own version.

Adam's apple(Maclura orange or apple-bearing, false orange, inedible, Indian or Chinese orange, mulberry dye). This plant was brought to Europe from North America as an ornamental culture. First of all, its inedible, but unusual fruits, resembling tennis balls, attract attention. They are also green, have an uneven surface and can reach 15 cm in diameter, but usually about 10 cm.

Maclura on a branch

You can admire them in any Crimean market. Although the Crimeans themselves do not use this plant in any way, they are happy to sell its fruits to gullible tourists as a panacea for all diseases. According to legend, it was this inedible and even poisonous fruit, and not a tasty apple, that convinced Adam and Eve to try the cunning Serpent. According to another version, God in anger turned the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge into these inedible balls.

Pomegranate(Pomegranate, Pomegranate tree). Everyone tried the fruits of this tree, but few northerners saw how it grows (except on window sills, decorative varieties). Crimea provides such an opportunity, although even here it is a bit cold, so the easiest way to see this exotic is in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, which is located on the South Coast, in a place with the mildest climate.

Ripe pomegranates in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden

In the Bible, the pomegranate, or rather its fruit - the pomegranate apple, is mentioned several times. Including there is a version that Eve, seduced by the Serpent, treated Adam with a pomegranate apple, and not a nasty maclura.

There are a lot of mistletoe in Crimea. In summer, it is almost invisible, but in winter, its balls, dressing trees in green, which have long shed their own foliage, are visible from afar.

Crimean flora is characterized by great diversity. In a small area there are forest, steppe, semi-desert and desert natural areas. Their distribution is related to the climate and topography of the peninsula. There are about 250 endemic plants in the Crimea, some representatives of the flora are relics of the Ice Age. Mediterranean species have taken root well on the South Shore.

Below are some representatives of the flora of the Crimea with brief description and photo.

Colchicum Ankara

Corm perennial grows in the steppes and on the slopes of the mountains. The height of the plant is only 5 cm. There is a bluish bloom on the leaves of the lanceolate form. Flowering depending on temperature regime starts in January-March. Colchicum flowers of a pink-purple hue look like a crocus. However, unlike the crocus, the flowers and leaves of the plant appear at the same time. Colchicum belongs to poisonous plants, today it is listed in the Red Book.

Astragalus bristly

The perennial herbaceous plant is listed as an endangered species. At present, it has been preserved only in three regions of the southern coast of Crimea. The relic grows on rocks and slopes, its height is 15 cm. The shoots are covered with stiff hairs, the narrow foliage has soft pubescence. The plant has a high drought tolerance. Purple flowers bloom in May.

magnolia grandiflora

An evergreen tree grows up to 30 m. It has a thick trunk and a dense crown. The leathery leaves are pointed. Large white flowers are eye-catching. Magnolia blooms all summer and bears fruit in mid-autumn. Flowers and fruits contain a large amount of essential oil. Today they are widely used in perfumery.

real lady's slipper

The Red Book perennial of the orchid family is found in the mountain belt, foothills and on the southern coast of Crimea. The length of the flowering stem is 60 cm, green leaves have an oval-lanceolate shape. The flower is shaped like a shoe, hence the name of the orchid. During the flowering period, the plant exudes a pleasant aroma, luring insects to it. Prefers shaded mixed forests and edges, less common in open areas. The main threat to the venus slipper population is the massive gathering for bouquets and digging up roots for transplanting into gardens.

Snowdrop folded

Perennial bulbous plant belongs to the Amaryllis family. It can be found on the edges of forests, among shrubs, in mountainous areas. The height of the snowdrop is 25 cm, dark green leaves are covered with a bluish bloom. The plant blooms in early spring, flowering lasts about a month. White single flowers exude a delicate aroma. At the end of spring, the foliage disappears until the next year, the vegetation continues in the underground part. The number of snowdrops has decreased significantly due to economic and commercial activities person.

Barberry ordinary

A branched and thorny shrub grows up to 1.5 m. Yellowish shoots acquire with age gray shade. The leaves are located in the axils of the spines. In autumn, it becomes a rich red color, which gives the bush a decorative effect. Barberry blooms in May, the flowers are collected in a brush. Red berries of an elliptical shape ripen in September-October. Barberry is considered medicinal plant. Preparations based on it have a choleretic, antispasmodic and diuretic effect. The wood is used to make handicrafts and souvenirs.

Yew berry

Coniferous tree is a relic of the Crimea. It is found in forests and on the slopes of mountains, very rarely forms small groves. The yew grows very slowly, the annual growth is only 2 cm. The life span of the tree is amazing, some individuals are 4000 years old. Yew is the only representative of conifers that does not have resin. However, the bark, needles and wood are very poisonous. The tree is recognizable by its conical crown, reddish-brown bark, and bright red seedlings. Wood has been in demand since ancient times, it is heavy, resilient and resistant to decay. Today, economic use is out of the question. All areas of the yew on Earth, including the Crimea, are reserved.

pistachio

The tree came to the island from . The life span can be 1000 years. The height of the pistachio reaches 8 m, it has a dense crown and ash-colored bark. The oval leaves are collected in a bunch, the flowers are inconspicuous. Fruits, spherical drupes, ripen at the end of summer. The plant is drought-resistant, tolerates highly saline soils, but needs intense lighting. Pistachio does not form independent plantations. In many fruits, the seeds simply do not ripen, which is why the tree does not reproduce well. The wood is very dense and heavy. The pistachio is listed in the Red Book, the limiting factors are human activity, cataclysms, unregulated recreation and erosion.

Walnut

The tree came to Crimea from Greece and gradually spread throughout the peninsula. Adults reach a height of 30 m, average duration life is up to 3-4 centuries. The walnut has a spreading crown with numerous branches. The girth of the trunk is 2 m. The walnut is distinguished by a powerful root system, which extends 20 m in different directions. The elongated leaves have a specific smell. The fruits are false drupes that contain one seed. Nuts ripen by early September. The wood has a beautiful pattern, so it is highly valued in the furniture industry.

cypress evergreen

The coniferous tree has a pyramidal shape. The height of the trunk is 30 m. The dark green needles have a pleasant aroma, small cones are covered with a pattern. Most of all, cypress is common on the southern coast of Crimea. Here he forms groves and alleys, actively participates in the formation of a healing climate. The tree reaches its maximum height at the age of 100 years. It tolerates drought and significant temperature drops well.

The official status of the Red Book of the Republic of Crimea provides a reliable state protection biological species included in it and implies strict legal liability of persons causing damage to their populations.

This edition includes 297 species of vascular plants, 35 species of bryophytes, 18 species of macrophyte algae, 22 species of lichens and 33 species of macroscopic fungi. In this order, these groups are located in the book. Vascular plants are divided into sections of psilotophytes, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms and flowering plants; further bryophytes into hepatic and leaf-stem mosses, algae into green, ochrophyte, red and characeae, and fungi into marsupials and basidiomycetes.

Within each division, orders, families, genera, and species are given in alphabetical order(according to Latin names). The Red Book of the Republic of Crimea takes into account the latest achievements of world science in the field of macrosystematics of vascular plants. In particular, the classification of flowering plants is given according to the APG III system (see Reveal and Chase, 2011), that is, their traditional division into monocots and dicots is not accepted in this publication. The systems of ferns (Christenhusz and Chase, 2014) and gymnosperms (Christenhusz et al., 2011) are also borrowed from the most recent publications.

The names of species of vascular plants are given for the most part according to the "Natural flora Crimean peninsula» (Ena, 2012). Deviations are mainly related to new information published in later works (in particular, on many orchids, tulips, and slender boletus), less often with the author's position of the essay writers (on hawthorns and Crimean cabbage). A small part of the species included in the Red Book, but not in the "Natural flora of the Crimean Peninsula", was first discovered in the Crimea only in the last two or three years (Haussknecht's kostenets, rocky hermitage, a number of species of dremliki).

Essays on each species include Russian and Latin names, conservation status taxon, brief information about its range, description of the features of morphology and biology, threat factors and the adopted and necessary protection measures.

The description of each species is accompanied by a color illustration (photo or drawing), the author of which is indicated at the end of the essay (in the case of two photographs, authorship is indicated in order from left to right)

The description of each species is also accompanied by a map with a grid designation of its locations on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The basis of these maps is a map of the main landscape zones of the Crimea (Development of Priorities, 1999), reproduced here from symbols on the next page. The distribution of species is marked on maps in squares of 10*10 km. The red dots indicate the squares within which the presence of the species was confirmed by modern finds made after 1994. The blue dots indicate that the species was present in this square according to information received before 1994, and has either disappeared or is known to exist at present. after 1994 were not tested.

The Red Book of the Republic of Crimea includes all species listed in (2008; hereinafter referred to as the RF CC