ADDITIONS TO THE VASCULAR PLANT FLORA OF THE REPUBLIC OF MORDOVIA (RUSSIA): CONTRIBUTION OF THE iNATURALIST PLATFORM

Abstract

"The (re)check of the iNaturalist data related to the Republic of Mordovia (European Russia) allowed us to find 16 vascular plant species, considered to be new taxa for the vascular plant flora of this region, in comparison to Silaeva et al. (2010). These species are Nonea rossica, Erigeron strigosus, Medicago × varia, Dianthus chinensis, Symphytum × uplandicum, Lamprocapnos spectabilis, Petunia × atkinsiana, Oenothera villosa, Parthenocissus inserta, Reynoutria × bohemica, Eschscholzia californica, Quercus rubra, Digitaria sanguinalis, Lysimachia punctata, Acer ginnala and Stachys byzantina. In addition, we present new data about the distribution of the five species (Silene wolgensis, Amaranthus cruentus, Cruciata laevipes, Euphorbia cyparissias and Achillea leptophylla) found in the Republic of Mordovia since publication of Silaeva et al. (2010). A majority of the species under discussion are alien plants arrived in Mordovia accidentally or considered as cultivated plants escaping in the wild. Taking into account the newly revealed species, the vascular plant flora of the Republic of Mordovia currently includes 1464 species. In this study, we highlight again the relevance and feasibility of the use of the iNaturalist platform, as an effective tool for the study and monitoring of regional and national biodiversity."