Scientific Papers Series B Horticulture

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe chorology map and details of distributionof Aster oleifolius are based on collections fromHerbaria: BCHM, BRHM, BUAG, BVHU, CL,I, IASI, PLHM, SIB, SVHU (according codesto P.K. Holmgren from Index Herbariorum).The chorological map of A. oleifolius is basedon the cited sources above plus new recordsobtained during research, or different databases/ scientific publications where this species wasreferred. The chorological map of A. oleifoliusincluded in this work was made by taking inaccount the principles of the GEOCOD System(Oltean and Stefanut 2002), which ensures anexact localization of villages, communes andtowns where this species was found. The mainobjective of the present study is to documentthe geographic distribution of the A. oleifoliusspecies in Romania using Universal TransverseMercator (UTM) system. The chorological redpoints on the distribution map are representedby data from cited Herbaria and formercitations from literature, and original data fromthe field (Figure 7). The material used formorphological descriptions was collected fromAlah Bair Hill, Constanta County. The specieswas naturalized in “I. Todor” Botanical Garden,on Dobrodjan Colline in USAMV Bucharest(Figure 3).RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONSAster oleifolius is a calcareous species and thecoenotaxonomic framing of this newlyproposed vegetal subassociation is following:Cl. Puccinellio-Salicornietea Topa 1939, Ord.Puccinellietalia Soo 1940, Al. Puccinellionlimosae (Klika 1937) Wendelbg, 1943, 1950,As. Staticeto-Artemisietum santonicae Topa1939 and subass. asteretosum oleifolii subass.nova (Stefan et al., 2009) or As. Staticeto-Artemisietum monogynae (santonicum) Topa1939 (Lupascu et al, 2005)The species was collected from Alah Bair andtransplanted in “I. Todor” Botanical Garden foracclimatization and naturalization regarding themorphological and anatomical studies,cultivation aspects and interest forphytodiversity preservation (Figure 3).Figure 3. A. oleifolius on Dobrodjan Colline in “I.Todor” Botanical Garden, Bucharest (orig.)Aster oleifolius is xeric species with a raredistribution in Romania. The image presentedbellow (Figure 4) is a comparison between A.linosyris (left) and A. oleifolius (right).Though congeneric and sharing the samecharacter-the lack of the ligulae-the two speciesare not immediate and not even closely relatedin the context of the genus Aster. Thedifferences between the two, especially inconcerning the structure of the capitula(Badarau, 2006), leaf nervation and the colourof plants.Figure 4. Two species of Aster in Alba County (photoBadarau)The species is well-represented in Fantanita-Murfatlar, Basarabi (Constanta County). It ispreserved indirectly due to another rare speciesof Romania, like Nepeta parviflora, Paeoniaperegrina, P. tenuifolia, Adonis vernalis,Helianthemum salicifolium, Trigonellagladiata, Stipa lessingiana, Crocus pallasii,Euphorbia dobrogensis, Linum borzeanum,Buffonia tenuifolia, Aster oleifolius, Scutellariaorientalis (Figures 5 and 6).328