XVI International Botanical Congess

Studying the flora North-Eastern Altai, which cover the northern slopes of Altai-Sajanian Highlands, the following results have been obtained. The vegetation consists of 1039 species distributed between 92 families and 423 genera. Such families as Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Lamiaceae, Brassicaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Cyperaceae unite over 60% of all specific plant diversity. The largest genera of this region are Potentilla, Allium, Astragalus, Salix, Polygonum, Artemisia, Silene. Investigation of the geographic structure of the vegetation has shown prevalence in its composition of plant species with Holarctic, European Asiatic, European Siberian, Northern Asiatic, Southern Siberian-Mongolian and Eastern Asiatic areal types. This flora is enriched by endemics and Palaeogene-Neogenic relicts of broad-leaved forests, differing in their geographic relations and time of origin. Analysis of the hierarchical systems of phytochoria, geographic elements of the flora, areas of vicarious species, relicts and endemics make it possible to conclude that the flora of North-Eastern Altai is autochthonal. Being older than the majority of the other boreal florae in Siberia, this flora originated from mesophyte forest flora of the mountains of Ancient Mediterranea.