Shakhova Nataliya Vital’evna, Candidate of Biology, Scientific Researcher of the Laborato-ry of fungal biochemistrNew locations of three xylotrophic basidiomycete species (Fistulina hepatica, Ganoderma lucidum, Volvariella bombycina), rare and protected in the Republic of Dagestan (2020), were revealed in the forest ecosystems of Samursky National Park as a result of field research carried out in 2022. Among them, the species Ganoderma lucidum is also protected at the federal level and it is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008). The Latin name, current taxonomic position, brief morphological characteristics of the basidiomata, description of recorded local populations, as well as data on occupied woody substrata and forest habitat patches are given for each species. Factors limiting the population numbers of the species and recommended conservation efforts are discussed.

According to the system of A. A. Grossheim the geographical analysis of the flora of broad-leaved and coniferous forests with Taxus baccata in Dagestan is given. In four forest massifs of the Predgorny (Buinaksky district – 980 m a.s.l., Kaytagsky district – 800 m a.s.l., Kazbekovsky district – 1050 m a.s.l.) and Inner Mountain (Khunzakhsky district – 1540 m a.s.l.) Dagestan revealed 203 species of vascular plants in the period of 2010–2018. The quantitative ratio of the main geographical elements was estimated. In total 12 classes of geoelements belonging to 5 types have been identified: ancient (tertiary) forest, boreal, steppe, xerophilic, Caucasian. It is shown that most of the species belong to the boreal type (61,1–71,4%) and the Palearctic and European classes, represented in the forest zone of the Northern Hemisphere. The participation of Caucasian species is significant (20%), which indicates the relative originality and ancient of the forests of Dagestan with the participation of European yew.

A taxonomic review of the section Protoanaptychia of the genus Anaptychia, including four species — A. desertorum, A. elbursiana, A. mereschkowskii, A. roemeri, for the lichen flora of Russia and neighboring countries is given. The work was based on the results of studying specimens of our own collections in the Caucasus, the South of European Russia, the Southern Urals, the Southern Siberia, specimens stored in the herbaria of the Komarov Botanical Institute (LE), Institute of Botany and Ecology of the University of Tartu (TU), Botanical Museum of the University of Helsinki (H), University of Graz (GZU), as well as literature data. For the studied species of the Protoanaptychia section, diagnostic characters, ecological and geographical characteristics of the species are shown; a key for identifying species and a map of distribution in Russia and adjacent regions are given. The regions of the Central Asia are the probable center of origin of the species of the section Protoanaptychia.

The paper provides information about some species new for the flora of Dagestan and Russia, which were recently identified during field studies and in the analysis of various herbarium funds. For the flora of Dagestan, Eriophorum latifolium, Senecio macrophyllus, and Oxalis stricta are reported for the first time. It is noted that the presence of Eriophorum latifolium indicates the influence of boreal elements on the formation of the flora of Dagestan and the significance of glaciations in the migration of the northern flora to the Caucasus. In addition, it was shown that the presence of Oxalis stricta in Dagestan indicates that the alien flora of Dagestan is not well known and that the process of biological invasions in the region has been intensifying in recent years.

The results of the study of plant communities with the participation of Acer hyrcanum, a relict vulnerable rare species for Dagestan and the Eastern Caucasus, are presented. The far northwestern population of the Foothill floristic region was studied. It is noted that the species occurs in single specimens. Carpinus betulus and Fraxinus excelsior were the dominant tree layers in all investigated sites. The analysis of the woody flora to geographical elements, showed the predominance of elements of the Caucasian flora. In general, elements of the European, Ancient Mediterranean, Colchian and Hyrkanian flora participate in the composition of the phytocenosis of the studied population. The peculiarities of the growth of species of the genus Acer in Dagestan allow us to clarify the distribution boundary of representatives of the Hyrkanian and Euxine flora in the Foothill zone of Dagestan.