The Nonnative Flora of the Kyiv (Kiev) Urban Area, Ukraine: A Checklist and Brief Analysis

by Sergei L. Mosyakin and Oksana G. Yavorska

M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2 Tereshchenkivska St., Kyiv (Kiev) 01601 Ukraine

Published online December 24, 2002

Abstract

In this paper, an annotated checklist of the nonnative flora of the city and suburbs of Kiev (Kyiv in Ukrainian transliteration), Ukraine, is presented in tabular form. For each taxon, the following data are provided: occurrence, generalized distribution in the area, degree of naturalization, time of immigration, mode of immigration, and geographical origin. The total nonnative flora (past and present) of the Kiev Urban Area (KUA) consists of 536 species of vascular plants belonging to 297 genera and 71 families. It is the most diverse nonnative flora of any urban region in Ukraine. The modern nonnative flora includes 356 species of 207 genera and 62 families. The stable component of the flora consists of 198 species of 147 genera and 51 families. Ephemerophytes (175 species, or 49.2%) and epoecophytes (99 species, or 28.2%) clearly prevail among Kiev's modern nonnative flora. The percentage of species introduced before the end of the 19th century, including archaeophytes (19.6%) and kenophytes (31%), equals that of the eukenophytes (49.4%), the species that were introduced during the 20th century. Leading roles are played by species native to Mediterranean (254 species, or 50.3%) and North American (99 species or 16.3%) floristic regions. Interestingly, North American taxa form the largest portion of the group of species that successfully naturalized in the 20th century; they are followed by plants from eastern Asia. The nonnative plants in the modern urban flora of Kiev continue to gain in importance. This is evident from the high numbers of newcomers that arrived during the last 20 years of the 20th century.