Galega orientalis Lam.

Kozhin, Mikhail & Sennikov, Alexander, 2022, New records in non-native vascular plants of Russian Lapland, Biodiversity Data Journal 10, pp. 78166-78166 : 78166

Galega orientalis Lam.

Galega orientalis Lam., Encycl. 2(2): 596 (1788).

Distribution

Native distribution

Caucasus (Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan).

Secondary distribution

Information incomplete due to the recent time of invasion. Reported as commonly running wild and established in, for example, Finland ( Niemivuo-Lahti 2012) and European Russia ( Majorov et al. 2013).

Distribution in neighbouring territories

In Finland, this species commonly runs wild in the whole country, up to its northern part ( LUOMUS 2021). It is considered a noxious weed and listed as a dangerous invasive species ( Niemivuo-Lahti 2012). Sometimes it runs wild in central and southern Karelia ( Kravchenko 2007) and North-Western European Russia ( Tzvelev 2000).

New record

Russia. Murmansk Region. Apatity Town:

Polar Experimental Station of Institute of Plant Industry, 33.37094°N, 67.54942°E, field overgrown with dandelions, cereals and bedstraw, 23.06.2020, M. Kozhin & E. Borovichev M-4405 (H, KPABG 046897, MW 1066861).

Fields of the state farm 'Industry' at the entrance to Apatity Town, 33.32479°N, 67.57402°E, roadside between willow stands separating the fields, 500 m south-west of the road, 13.07.2020, M. Kozhin M-4408 (H, KPABG 046901, MW 1066864, INEP).

Fields of the state farm 'Industry' at the entrance to Apatity Town, 33.32641°N, 67.5765°E, road between fields, 13.07.2020, M. Kozhin M-4409 (H, KPABG 046902, MW 1066865, INEP).

Pathways of introduction

Escape from confinement: Agriculture. Escape from confinement: Research.

The species was cultivated as a forage plant and subsequently escaped from cultivation. In Murmansk Region, it was originally introduced into experimental cultivation (laboratory) in the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden in 1939 ( Andreev and Zueva 1990). By 1990, these plants were commonly found reproducing by seed around former cultivation places in the Botanical Garden.

Since 1990, the experimental cultivation of Galega was carried out at the Polar Experimental Station of the Institute of Plant Industry and the new variety "Zapolarnyi" was bred. This variety was recommended for commercial cultivation in the northern agricultural regions of Russia ( Mikhailova et al. 2011). The present record originated from the fields on which Galega was cultivated. Nowadays, the species occurs as extensive stands along abandoned fields and roadsides (Fig. 4 ).

Period of introduction

Russia (after 1991).

The species started to escape during the period of its commercial cultivation for forage, which became common in the latest 20 years.

Invasion status

Established alien, naturalised in anthropogenic habitats. Potentially invasive but not expanding into natural habitats.

Ecology

Tall forb of mountain meadows.

Biology

Perennial polycarpic. Hemicryptophyte with caudex and root sprouts.

Figures

Figure 4. A dense stand of Galega orientalis established in the vicinity of Apatity Town, Murmansk Region. 13.07.2020. Photo by M. Kozhin.