Janina Skrzyczyńska

Therapeutic plants found in agrocenoses of the Middle Vistula River Valley mesoregion.

Therapeutic plants found in agrocenoses of the middle Vistula River Valley mesoregion Studies on the segetal flora of the Middle Vistula River Valley mesoregion were carried out between 2003 and 2006 in cereal and potato crops and in stubble fields (117 localities). A total of 184 medicinal vascular plant species were noted in the studied agrocenoses. Native plants (68%) dominated over species brought to Poland (32%). Hemicryptophytes (83 spp.), therophytes (74 spp.) and geophytes (26 spp.) were the most numerous groups of life forms. Perennials (55%) prevailed over short-lived plants (45%). Very rare and rare species (61%) built up the most numerous group of species. Their populations usually consisted of single specimens. Only a few of the medicinal plant species occured as larger populations. They were Aphanes arvensis, Stellaria media and Galium aparine in cereals, Equisetum arvense, Stellaria media, Chenopodium album, Elymus repens, Plantago major, Polygonum amphibium, Mentha arvensis, Plantago intermedia, Polygonum hydropiper and Gypsophila muralis in stubble fields, as well as Stellaria media in potato cultivations.

The segetal flora of the Mazowiecki Landscape Park.

The segetal flora of the Mazowiecki Landscape Park The present state and characteristics of the segetal flora of the Mazowiecki Landscape Park and its buffer zone are described. Flora of the agrocenoses of the Park and its buffer zone is rich and includes 221 species. A large differentiation of habitats, A wide contact zone with natural communities and traditional methods of cultivation affect its biodiversity. Rare species constitute more than half of the total species recorded in the agrocenoses of the Park and its buffer zone. In total, 25 of them are included in various categories of threat (Zarzycki, Wojewoda, Heinrich 1992). Among the most endangered are such plants, as, Helichrisum arenarium, Aphanes arvensis, Melandrium noctiflorum, Bromus secalinus, Agrostemma githago, Lathytus tuberosus, Kickxia elatine, Centunculus minimus, Hypericum humifusum, Peplis portula, Centaurium pulchellum, Radiola linoides and Myosurus minimus. Apophytes (142 species) prevail over anthropophytes (76 species) in the studied flora. Species of meadow and waterside communities (93 species) predominate among apophytes, whereas in the group of anthropophytes, archaeophytes (59 species) are the most numerous. Analysis of persistence and biological types showed domination of short-lived species over perennials and therophytes over other life forms.