First record of Aquilegia grubovii (Ranunculaceae) for Russia and key to all currently known species in the country

Abstract

We report the first record of Aquilegia grubovii (Ranunculaceae) for Russia, a rare species previously known from five localities in Mongolia. The species belongs to A. sect. Aquilegia subsect. Aquilegia and is characterized by curved or hooked spurs slightly longer than the limb of petals, 2-2.8 mm long, straight only at the top diverging fruits with stylodia 2 times shorter than follicles, smooth or tuberculate seed surface and stems covered with simple and glandular hairs. The new records of Aquilegia grubovii are located in the Azas Nature Reserve, which is situated in the central part of the Todzha basin, Tuva Republic (a large intermountain trough within the Altai-Sayan mountain region) of south-central Asia about 500 km west of Lake Baikal. We provide an assessment of the conservation status, geographical distribution and habitat of Aquilegia grubovii, along with an identification key to all species from Russia.