Geographical distribution, habitats and current state of the Galanthus elwesii (Amaryllidaceae) populations in Ukraine.

Geographical distribution, habitats and current state of populations of a rare species in the Ukrainian flora, Galanthus elwesii (Amaryllidaceae), are considered. Populations of this species grow near the northeastern limits of its range in the southwestern part of Ukraine, in Odessa and Mykolaiv regions. Along with single Moldavian and Romanian localities, the Ukrainian sites of G. elwesii are formed in the Bessarabian Upland and the Black Sea Lowland northeastern exclave of the Black Sea shore range, and are separated from the main part of the range in the Balkan Mountains by a disjuncture in the Lower Danube Lowland. Eight out of 11 known sites of G. elwesii in Ukraine are contributed now as new floristic records. The localities of G. elwesii in Ukraine are associated with extrazonal oak, elm, elm-maple, and ashmaple forests of Quercetalia roboris ordo, and poplar forest of Salicetalia purpurea ordo, resulting from the shrub and forest plantations in the steppe zone. The optimal coenotical conditions for G. elwesii are in the anthropogenically undisturbed forests, where it formed homeostatic populations. Cutting of forest trees in the steppe zone of Ukraine has led to substitution of forests by shrubs, replacement by steppe communities and degradation of G. elwesii populations. Recommendations are proposed for the improvement of G. elwesii conservation in situ and ex situ in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]