Short survey of Poa L. species’ distribution in Kazakhstan and description of external morphological seed features

Abstract

Climate change and global warming are considered to cause desertification; irrational anthropogenic activity leads to plant species shortening or their extinction. Seeds of one common sod-forming herbaceous plant, bluegrass (Poa L.), were collected forage and pasture plants, and some species are also widely used for lawns. According to current data, the bluegrass genus of the Poaceae family consists of 575 species, of which 80 are found in the flora of Kazakhstan, not taking into account new species that were recently discovered and described in East Kazakhstan. According to the Catalog of the World Collection of the All-Russian Institute of Plant Growing (VIR), such 4 species of bluegrasses, Poa bulbosa L., P. nemoralis L., P. pratensis L., and P. trivialis L., were identified as wild relatives of cultivated plants (WRCP). The purpose of our research was to conduct a brief analysis of the literature sources for the species composition of Poa L., distribution, biological and economic significance, and application, analysis of the number of samples by species, floristic regions, and the description of the external morphological seed features and their photographing. Our brief review of systematic sources has revealed 57 species distributed throughout the research territory. The description of seeds with photographs is presented for 7 species, for which there are 75 samples from various floristic zones. Seeds and their description might be used for species identification and as valuable genetic material in breeding.