This thesis presents the results of a comprehensive study of the modern species composition of the genus Epilobium s.l. in the flora of Ukraine. In particular, it presents the results of critical and systematic analysis, which were conducted in order to clarify the taxonomic status of critical taxa and assess diagnostic characters. The data presented here concern the current distribution of the species in question, as well as their participation in biotopes and plant communities.
The study revealed new features of the pericarp structure of fruits of E. hirsutum (type species of the genus Epilobium) and E. angustifolium L. (type species of the genus Chamaenerion). These features confirm the expediency of treating the genus Chamaenerion as a separate section of the genus Epilobium. It can therefore be concluded that the morphogenetic type of the fetus in species of the genus Epilobium is a lower four-nested dorsal-septifragal capsule with synascidial and symptomatic zones. A taxonomic assessment of diagnostic macro- and micromorphological characters was conducted, and based on a comprehensive analysis, it was determined that the genus Epilobium (including Chamaenerion species) comprises 21 species (including subspecies) distributed across three sections (Schizostigma, Synstigma, Chamaenerion) within the flora of Ukraine. A key to the identification of Epilobium s. l. species was developed, which, in addition to traditional macromorphological characters, also includes morphological and anatomical data.
An additional diagnostic feature is the sculpture of the periclinal surface of the epidermal cells of seeds. This can manifest as striping, roughness, scarring, or granularity. The latter is a particularly useful diagnostic feature at the section level, as it is exclusive to the Chamaenerion section. It has been demonstrated that the ornamentation of the periclinal surface of seeds can serve as a clear distinguishing feature between representatives of the Epilobium section and those of the Chamaenerion.
The studies have demonstrated that the structure of the seed surface (epidermal layer) can be characterised by three distinct features: smooth, aveolate, and papillose. The results of the nomenclatural analysis of Epilobium species enabled the affiliation of certain species to be clarified.It was found that E. angustifolium L, which was previously cited in the national literature as part of the genus Chamaenerion (C. In Ukraine, the species E. angustifolium (L.) Scop. is represented by two subspecies: the typical E. angustifolium subsp. angustifolium, which is distributed throughout Ukraine, including Crimea, and E. angustifolium subsp. circumvagum Mosquin, which is known from Crimea and is cited as Chamaenerion danielsii (D. Löve) Czerep. In Ukraine, Epilobium roseum (Schreb.) Schreb. is represented by three subspecies: the typical E. roseum subsp. roseum, E. roseum subsp. consimile (Hausskn.) P.R. Raven (which differs from the typical species by the presence of underground stolons with white fleshy scaly leaves) and E. roseum subsp. subsessile (Boiss.) P.H.Raven (= E. nervosum Boiss. & Buhse) differs from the type in that the calyx is densely pubescent in the lower part (in subsp. roseum the calyx is uniformly pubescent over the entire surface).
A chorological analysis of Epilobium species in Ukraine was conducted, and maps of their distribution were produced for the first time. The geographical analysis yielded the conclusion that the Epilobium species can be classified into five habitat types. This is the first occasion on which a cenotic analysis based on the ecological and floristic approach has demonstrated that species of the genus Epilobium are widely represented in many plant communities, in particular in 28 classes of vegetation of Ukraine, which characterise different types of vegetation. In terms of the breadth of cenotic amplitude, all species can be divided into three groups: hemistenotopes, hemievritopes and eurytopes. However, the latter group is the most prevalent. With regard to the participation of species in cenoses, the overwhelming majority of them are assemblages, with only a minor proportion serving as temporary unifiers, such as E. angustifolium s. str.
The investigation revealed that the majority of Epilobium species in Ukraine are involved in the formation of four distinct types of biotopes, as defined by the EUNIS classification system. The HPLC analysis of the oleanolic and ursolic acid content in the raw materials of eight Epilobium species, which are natural pentacyclic triterpenoids that inhibit the survival and proliferation of human prostate cancer cells, revealed that the presence or absence of these compounds and their ratio can be used as additional chemotaxonomic markers for species diagnosis.
