The planned botanical nature reserve of local importance “Staroshvedskyi” is located in the area of the Zmiivka and Krasnyi Maiak village councils, Beryslav District, Kherson Province, Ukraine. It consists of two unplowed ravines (‘balkas’): Kostyrska and Shyroka and a 3.5 kilometers long Dnieper river terrace between them. The territory is characterized by a high differentiation of vegetation and habitats. As well as dominant steppe habitats, there are also meadows, shrublands, forest plantations, outcrops of limestone, loess and clay, cliffs, the Kakhovka Reservoir, and ruderal habitats. The planned reserve has a great conservation value. In this area, we identified 21 species of protected vascular plants, of which one species (Jurinea cyanoides) is included both in Resolution №4 of the Bern Convention, and the EU Habitats Directive. Ten plant species are included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Astragalus dasyanthus, A. ponticus, Elytrigia stipifolia, Ornithogalum boucheanum, Stipa capillata, S. lessingiana, S. pulcherrima, S. ucrainica, Tulipa biebersteiniana, T. gesneriana). Ten plant species are included in the Red List of Kherson Province (Amygdalus nana, Bellevalia sarmatica, Bromopsis heterophylla, Ephedra distachya, Hyacinthella leucophaea, Jurinea stoechadifolia, Poa sterilis, Quercus robur, Vinca herbacea, Vitis sylvestris). Furthemore, six rare communities from the planned reserve are included in the Green Data Book of Ukraine (Amygdaleta nanae, Elytrigieta stipifoliae, Stipeta capillatae, Stipeta lessingianae, Stipeta pulcherrimae, Stipeta ucrainicae). In view of the above, we propose to create a botanical reserve here for the preservation of important phytodiversity. Besides the important species here, the planned botanical nature reserve is important to habitats saving included to the Resolution №4 of the Bern Convention (E1.2. Perennial calcareous grassland and basic steppes and F3.247 Ponto-Sarmatic deciduous thickets).

Knotweed taxa: Reynoutria japonica, R. sachalinensis and R. ×bohemica have been classified as the most dangerous invasive plants in Europe, North America, and other regions with cool climates. In Poland they are included on the list of 16 alien plant species which, when introduced into the natural environment, pose a threat to native biodiversity or natural habitats. Despite the serious threat they pose, Reynoutria species are still grown as ornamental plants, and are sometimes planted in hedges. Studies aimed at the identification of the range and the method of spread of knotweeds in settlement areas in Kampinos National Park and its vicinity were carried out from 2012. In mid-2018 there were 176 known sites where different species of Reynoutria were found. Most of these sites (118) were formed by R. japonica. R. ×bohemica was found on 54 sites,and R. sachalinensis only on four sites. Home gardens are a source of Reynoutria species spread in the region of Kampinoska Forest (national park with its buffer zone). Our results showed that the most of the Reynoutria species sites were located within the administrative borders of investigated localities, at different distances from home gardens, where these plants are grown. Although the distribution of knotweeds is largely limited to ruderal habitats, these invasive plants, especially R. japonica and R. ×bohemica, create a threat to semi-natural and natural biocoenoses at Kampinos National Park. R. sachalinensis was found only in villages on the periphery of KNP. Giant knotweed usually occupies large areas and form dense, homogeneous populations. It is necessary to constantly monitor the existing sites of knotweeds and prevent the formation of new stands in the area of Kampinos National Park and its close vicinity.

Syntaxa diagnosed by species of Elytrigia Desv. (Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski, E. elongatа (Host) Nevski, E. intermedia (Host) Nevski, E. nodosa (Nevski) Nevski, E. pseudocaesia (Pach.) Prokud., E. trichophora (Link) Nevski, E. strigosa (M.Bieb.) Nevski, E. scythica (Nevski) Nevski), E. bessarabica (Săvul. & Rayss) Prokud. are inventoried based on analysis of literature. Syntaxonomical content of the communities includes 48 associations from 25 alliances, 17 orders and 13 classes. A lot of the syntaxa are common and widespread (Elytrigio repentis-Aegopodietum podagrariae Tüxen 1967, Urtico dioicae-Tanacetum vulgaris Kostylev in V. Solomakha et al. 1992, Artemisietum vulgaris R. Tüxen 1942, Elytrigio repentis-Robinietum pseudoacaciae Smetana, Derpoluk, Krasova 1997, etc.) or occur sporadically (Acini arvensis-Elytrigietum intermediae (Kukovitsa at al. 1994) Kukovitsa in V. Solomakha 1995, Salvio nemorosae-Elytrigietum intermediae Tyschenko, 1996, Goniolimoni taurici-Poetum angustifoliae Tyschenko 1996, Limonio-Festucetum pseudodalmaticae V. Solomakha et Shelyag-Sosonko 1984 etc.) in Ukraine. An absolute majority of the studied coenoses are in a state of dynamic expansion, with the exception of some relatively rare communities (Elytrigio trichophorae-Poetum angustifoliae (Kostylev et al. 1984) V. Solomakha 1995, Adonidi-Stipetum tirsae Didukh 1983, Drabo cuspidatae-Potentilletum geoidis Ryff 2000, Laserpitio hispidi-Heracleetum stevenii Korzhenevsky et Ryff 2002, etc.) that are constantly threatened by ecotope elimination. Most of the communities (23 associations) are dominated by Elytrigia repens that has wide ecological amplitude.

The article provides a brief historical overview of genus Epilobium s. l. It is one of the most complicated and species-rich genera within Onagraceae Juss. An important contribution to the study of the the genus in a broad interpretation and the development of infrageneric systems were made by Carl Linnaeus, Carl Haussknecht, Elizabeth Steinberg, Peter Hamilton Raven, Ilkka Kytövuori, Chia-Jui-Chen, David Baum, Naomi Grace Lorimer and Alexander Sennikov. We want to note among all these scientists Carl Haussknecht. He was first, who proposed the most perfectsystem of the genus Epilobium s. l. Also, Peter Raven one of the modern scientists made a very important contribution to the study of Epilobium s. l. taxonomy. He with co-authors proposed a system of the genus Epilobium s. l, which is based on the molecular phylogenetic analysis. Recently, other taxonomic criteria have been used for genus Epilobium L. s. l., as well as molecular phylogenetic data and traditional morphological features. These data allow to better understand anatomical, morphological and geographical characters of the species, their taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships. Species of genus Epilobium is in the stage of intensive formation, which causes difficulties in taxonomy. The presence a lot of forms within individual taxonomic units make borders between species blurred. Since there are unclear boundaries between species, there are difficulties in studying the taxonomy of the genus Epilobium s. l. The formation of hybrids of the genus Epilobium causes systematic complications in the study of this genus. In addition, today morphological data are insufficient to confirm the taxonomic status of the Chamaenerium species section. So an integrated approach to the study of the genus Epilobium s. l. is relevant today.

The results of a study on charophytes (Charales, Charophyta) of different type water bodies on territory of the Siversky Donets river basin (Kharkiv Region) in summer 2018 are presented. They substantially supplemented the previous checklist of the Kharkiv Region Charales. However the findings of Chara braunii, Ch. canescens, Nitella flexilis, N. gracilis and N. syncarpa recorded in the end of ХІХ – at the beginning of ХХ centuries have not been supported by herbarium specimens. Their localities vanished as a result of natural or anthropogenic transformations. Existence of 10 species, namely: Chara connivens, C. contraria, C. globularis, C. intermedia, C. tomentosa, C. vulgaris, Nitella mucronata, Nitellopsis obtusa, Tolypella glomerata and T. prolifera, which have their constant localities in the Kharkiv Region being supported by numerous new findings in recent time. According to a frequency of occurrence the species are denoted as most common (2 species), frequent (4) and rare (4). Some centers of species diversity of Charales have been revealed in the valleys of Siversky Donets River and its tributaries Oskil and Bereka rivers. They are characterized by specific complexes of species determined by a difference in hydrological and hydro-chemical regimes of water bodies situated in Forest-Steppe and Steppe zones within the Kharkiv Region. The complexes of species are represented by Chara globularis, Nitella mucronata, Nitellopsis obtusa in the Siversky Donets valley; Chara contraria, C. intermedia, C. tomentosa, C. vulgaris and Nitellopsis obtusa in the Oskil valley; Chara contraria, C. connivens, C. intermedia, C. vulgaris and Tolypella glomerata in the Bereka valley. The steady or changeable hydrological regime of water bodies, chemical composition, salinity and alkalinity of water are suggested as main factors influencing on diversity and distribution of Charales in the Kharkiv Region.

156 species of lichens and 44 species of lichenicolous fungi were found in the Trykraty granite massive. Lichenicolous fungi Cercidospora xanthoriae, Endococcus fusiger, Rosellinula frustulosae, Stigmidium squamariae, Tremella phaeophysciae, Xenonectriella leptaleae and lichen Coenogonium pineti are new for the steppe zone of Ukraine. 79 species of the lichens and 36 species of the lichenicolous fungi are reported for the first time for the National Nature Park “Buzky Gard”. Nine species were determined at the generic level and therefore require further identification. The exposed rock surfaces, seepage sites on granite, different soils in Aktovskiy, Arbuzynsky, Petropavlovsky canyons, ancient tree plantations in Nature Reserves “Labyrynt” and “Vasyleva Pasika” provided high gamma-diversity of the lichens and lichenicolous fungi in Trykraty granite massive. The nature habitats of this massive occupies of 750 ha and includes 200 species of lichens and lichenicolous fungi, therefore it is considered to be a hot-spot of biodiversity in plains of Ukraine. Eighty-four species of lichens were found in granite surfaces, 64 species – on bark of deciduous trees and only 12 species grow on soil between granite boulders. Thirty-six species of lichenicolous fungi were collected on saxicolous lichens. Lasallia pustulata is a lichen included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine which is protected in Trykraty department of the Natural Nature Park “Buzky Gard”. The lichens Acrocordia gemmata, Bacidia fraxinea, B. rubella, Caloplaca monacensis, Chaenotheca chlorella, C. trichialis, Cladonia uncialis, Coenogonium pineti, Lichinella nigritella, L. stipatula, Opegrapha niveoatra, Pseudoschismatomma rufescens, Ramalina intermedia, Scytinium gelatinosum, Xanthoparmelia loxodes and X. pokornyi were included to official list of species which require protection in Mykolaiv region.

28 moss species grow on the territory of regional natural memorial “Derevostiy akatsii biloi”. Chiefly, these species are typical components of the Nothern Black Sea Coast regional bryoflora. Such non-vascular plants are typical for deciduous forests and different tree afforestations. 6 species – Porella platyphylla, Frullania dilatata, Radula complanata,  Synrichia papillosa, Orthotrichum lyelii, O.  patens – are “regionally rare" bryophytes of the Kherson region. Nyholmiella gymnostoma species included in the Red Data Book of European Bryophytes. Place the growth of bryophytic tied up with Acer negúndo, Celtis occidentalis, Gleditsia triacanthos, Quercus robur, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus minor trees. Mosses grow on trunks and bristles, on rotten bark and rotten wood (stumps, broken trunks and fragments of branches), and on soil also. We found that epiphytic, epicidal and epigeoid briocomplexes had different structures and species diversity. Moss groups are combined mainly by 9–11 species on the wood bark (on Acer negúndo – 15 species), this index increases to 13–17 species on the epiphytic substrates, on soil grow only 4 species. There is a greater number of moss species and a larger area of moss berries on those trees where the bark is thicker and more cracks. The moss complex structures are similar on different trees. Small cushions groups of Orthotrichum pumilum, O. diaphanum, O. speciosum, O. affine are dominate in epiphytic groupings. Roles of flat-mat groups from Leskea polycarpa, Pylaisia polyantha, Hypnum cupressiforme, H. cupreforme var. filiforme are slightly less. Amblystegium serpens var. saxicola, Hypnum cupressiforme var. lacunosum and other mixed with them. The number of Orthotrichum species is becoming smaller. And the importance of pleurocarpos species such as Brachytheciastrum velutinum, Brachythecium salebrosum, Amblystegium serpens, Homalothecium sericeum are increase on tree-stumps, rotten wood, rotten bark. The epigeoid fraction includes some polysubstrate moss species with wide ecological amplitudes (Ceratodon purpureus, Leptodictyum riparium et all). Some steppe and shrubbery mosses migrated to the beds of deciduous trees and wreckage of rotten wood. Ceratodon purpureus, Ptychostomum moravicum, P. capillare, Syntrichia ruralis, S. ruraliformis, Grimmia pulvinata were detected here. In general, the bryophloristical composition and structure of the regional nature memorial “Derevostiy akatsii biloi”  is an example of the changes that took place in the bryophlore of the Lower Dniper sands as a result of afforestation. The growth of role of epiphytic and epixyl mosses, primarily species of the Orthotrichaceae family, is enhanced due to the emergence of new substrates. The participation of the Pottiaceae mosses representatives is weakening in parallel. This family is dominant in the zonal steppe bryophlora of the Northern Black Sea Coast. Typical ground moss species disappear, with the exception of polysubstrators, which biology allows them to live on trees. Therefore the possibility of restoring natural psymunoid-steppe brioflora in previously planted areas, where the tree plant is destroyed, may be much slower.

The critical revision was done for the collection of the myxomycetes, made by Prof. І.О. Dudka during 05–06.05.2006, 16.08.2006 and 13–14.09.2006 in the Ugolksko-Shyrokoluzhansky, Chornohirsky and Marmarosky massifs of the Carpathian biosphere reserve. Collection is kept in the mycological section of the herbarium of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, under numbers CWP (Myc) 3110–3137. The material of the collection was previously used in the preparation of the publication about the virgin beech forests of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Seventeen species of myxomycetes from 11 genera, 7 families and 4 orders of the class Myxomycetes were revealed: Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (O.F. Müll.) T. Macbr., Diachea lencopodia (Bull.) Rostaf., Didymium clavus (Alb. et Schwein.) Rabenh., Fuligo candida Pers. sensu B. Ing, F. septica (L.) F.H. Wigg. f. flava (Pers.) Y.Yamam., Hemitrichia cf. clavata (Pers.) Rostaf., Licea minima Fr., Lycogala epidendrum (L.) Fr. sensu B. Ing, L. terrestre Fr. sensu B. Ing, Metatrichia floriformis (Schwein.) Nann.-Bremek., M. vesparia (Batsch) Nann.-Bremek. ex G.W. Martin et Alexop., Stemonitopsis typhina (F.H. Wigg.) Nann.-Bremek., Trichia affinis Rostaf., T. crateriformis G.W. Martin, T. varia (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) Pers., T. persimilis P. Karst.and Tubifera cf. ferruginosa (Batsch) J.F. Gmel. The identification оf two specimens, provided the publication of the 2011, was revised: “Fuligo intermedia” was re-identified as F. candida, while “Physarum robustim” appeared to be Didymium clavus. Thus, the previously stated assertion about the presence of these two species in the Ukrainian Carpathians was premature. On the contrary, T. decipiens var. olivacea, which was previously described as the variety of T. decipiens, new to the Ukrainian Carpathians, is currently considered as the independent species, T. crateriformis G.W. Martin, which appeared to be new for the region.