Abstract

Although the distribution of Tulipa species in Uzbekistan is well documented, there is no clear 
understanding of the importance of three classes of environmental variables, climate, soil type, and 
topography, as determinants of their distribution. We mapped the richness of Tulipa species in 
Uzbekistan, and conducted species distribution modeling to analyze the contribution of climate, soil 
type, and topography, to their predicted suitable ranges. The relationship between Tulipa species 
richness and altitude is best described by a hump-shaped curve, with a majority of the Tulipa species 
occurring at the altitude range of 700-2200 m. The climate was a major determinant of species 
distribution for the majority of the analyzed species, however, topography (slope angle and aspect) was 
equally or even more important for T. tschimganica, T. borszczowii, T. butkovii, T. carinata, T. affinis, 
T. micheliana, T. sogdiana and T. korolkowii. Soil was an important factor only for T. uzbekistanica, T.
butkovii and T. lanata. The conservation implications of these results are discussed.

Abstract

In this study, 13 morphological characters in 32 species of Eremurus (Asphodelaceae) from Uzbekistan 
were examined and subjected to cladistic analysis. In the consensus tree, species from subgenus 
Eremurus clustered together, but did not form a distinct clade sister to Henningia. The subrotate flowers, 
tepals with one abaxial nerve, and short stamens were found to be ancestral character states in Eremurus. 
Based on the morphological traits analyzed, a new key to identify the species of Eremurus in Uzbekistan 
is provided. The main synonyms, nomenclatural types, descriptions, ecological data, distribution and 
photos are also given for each taxon. Eremurus korolkowii and E. baissunensis are considered nonsynonymous with E. anisopterus and E. luteus, respectively. 

Abstract

Subgenus Allium is the largest group within the genus Allium (Amaryllidaceae) which detailed 
phylogenetic classification is still missing despite intensive phylogenetic research. Reconstruction of 
the subgenus phylogeny is impossible without proper coverage of the subgenus members representing 
Central Asia, one of the centers of genus (and subgenus) diversity. We sequenced whole chloroplast 
genomes of 10 species from subgenus Allium, mainly from Central Asia, which, together with 7 species 
available at NCBI provided us with a representative subgenus sampling for making inferences about 
the whole plastome-based phylogeny of subgenus Allium. The phylogenetic relationships among the 
representatives of subgenus Allium in our phylogenetic tree not only contradicted the current sectional 
classification within a subgenus, but even doubted the validity of the current subgenera recognized in 
genus Allium. The detected numerous mismatches between the species positions in the phylogenetic 
tree and the current species taxonomic position may suggest that the importance of the morphological 
traits used previously for defining sections in subgenus Allium needs reconsideration. Analysis of 
single nucleotide polymorphism in the studied genomes identified the genes ycf1, ndhF, rpoC2, matK
and ndhD as the most variable regions (number of SNPs ≥ 30).

Abstract

The goal of this paper was to review and illustrate the utility of SDM for solving conservation 
problems. Using real-world examples, I show a variety of uses for SDM, and then review the existing 
and potential applications of SDM for plant conservation in Central Asia. Central Asia is the region 
with a high number of endemic species that have narrow habitat specialization and very restricted 
ranges. Many of these species are red-listed and known from only a few or a single location. Any plans 
for their recovery must be based on the estimates of their area of occupancy and critical habitat, as well 
as the knowledge of their habitat requirements and potential range. SDM can be used for obtaining this 
information. The predicted ranges then can be used for species translocations, identification of 
biodiversity and endemism hotspots and reserve design. 

Abstract

This article honours the memory of the outstanding taxonomist and tireless researcher of the flora of
Central Asia, Aleksei Ivanovich Vvedensky, the founder of the most extensive Central Asian 
herbarium collection, the author of monographic revisions in ‘Flora of the USSR’, the editor and 
author of the six volume edition of ‘Flora of Uzbekistan’, the ‘Conspectus Florae Asiae Mediae’, and 
various taxonomic publications Vvedensky described dozens of new genera and hundreds of new 
species of vascular plants from Central Asia.