ARS | Publication request: Brief Review of Kazakhstan Flora and Use of its Wild Species

Submitted to: Asian and Australasian Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 21, 2008
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Citation: Ryabushkina, N., Gemedzhieva, N., Kobaisy, M., Cantrell, C.L. 2008. Brief Review of Kazakhstan Flora and Use of its Wild Species. Asian and Australasian Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology. 2(2):64-71.

Interpretive Summary: Over the last two decades, new methodologies for identifying important biological activities of plant components have been developed. Unfortunately, the scientific activity within Kazakhstan, during that time period, was decreasing for political reasons. At the present time, one of the priorities of botanical sciences in Kazakhstan is the determination of typical floral representation in an effort to identify plant biological activities of economic interest. In addition, the corresponding information is necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of Kazakhstan biodiversity. A search of the scientific literature has revealed greater than 50 different biological activities and uses associated with the representatives from at least 120 families of Kazakhstan flora. An analysis of biological activity distribution among representatives of different families is described.

Technical Abstract: Approximately 15 % of the 161 families of Kazakhstan flora account for more than 70 % of the 1118 genera and more than 80 % of the >6000 plant species. In Kazakhstan, about 23% of the species are in the family Tamaricaceae, 20% in Alliaceae, 17 % each in Polygonaceae and Chenopodiaceae, 14% in Caryophyllaceae, and 10% each in Brassicaceae, Zygophyllaceae and Ranunculaceae of the world flora were observed. A search of the scientific literature has revealed greater than 50 different biological activities and uses associated with the representatives from at least 120 families of Kazakhstan flora. An analysis of biological activity distribution among representatives of different families is described.