Relatives
Vavilovia formosa (Stev.) An. Fed. - Vavilovia.
Taxonomic position.
Family Leguminosae Endl., genus Vavilovia An. Fed.Synonyms.
Alophotropis formosa (Stev.) Grossh., Orobus formosus Stev., Pisum aucheri Jaub. et Spach., Pisum formosum (Stev.) Alef., Vavilovia aucheri (Jaub. et Spach.) An. Fed., Vicia aucheri Boiss.Biology and morphology.
Perennial herbs. Height 5-15cm. Sprawling or creeping. Surface glabrous. Spines absent.šStem not winged.šLeaves paripinnate, with terminal mucro. 2 leaflets per leaf. Leaflet shape obovatešor cuneate to ovate or cordate;šmargins entire; lamina glabrous. Stipules small and/or inconspicuous,šfoliaceous, free from petiole.šFlowers usually solitary; axillary. Pedunculate. Corolla pink or purple (keel mayšbe white). Standard often oblong,šclaw short and broad; wing falcate to oblong; keel blunt; wings longer than keel.šCalyx campanulate, teethšsubequal. Bracts small and/or inconspicuous; bracteoles absent. Stamens monadelphousšor diadelphous. Anthersšsmooth and glabrous; dehiscent. Pod length 20-35mm. Seeds globose; 3-5 per fruit.šCross-pollinated. 2n =14.Distribution.
Central and Eastern Caucasus.šGrows in some isolated habitats (Karachevo-Cherkessia, Cabardino-Balkaria, Northern Osetia, Dagestan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia). Species with disjunctive area. Introduced into Red Book of the USSR.Ecology.
Typically found in high-mountain areas (2650-3200 m) on shale or rocky ground.Utilization and economic value.
The unique perennial representative of Pisum genera, reveals the evolution of the genera. Vavilovia is of scientific interest as a source of a perennial gene that could bešpotentially be transferred intošclosely related Pisum material.Literature:
Brezhnev D. D., Korovina O. N. 1980. Wild relatives of the cultivated plants of flora of the USSR. - L.: Kolos, 376 pp. (in Russian).Flora of Azerbaijan, 1954. Carjagin I. P. (ed.). Vol. 5, Baku: AN Azerb. SSR, 580 pp. (in Russian).
Flora of the USSR, 1948. Schischkin V.K., E.G. Bobrov (ed.). Vol. 13, M.-L.: AN USSR , 588 pp. (in Russian).
Galushko A. I. 1980. Flora of Northern Caucasus. A field guide. - Rostov - na - Donu:, Vol. 2. - 350 pp. (in Russian).
Grossheim A. A. 1952. Genus Vavilovia An. Fed. Flora of the Caucasus. M.-L.: AN USSR, v.5 - p. 414 - 416. (in Russian).
Kolakovskiy A. L. 1958. Flora of Abhasiya. - Tbilisi:, Vol. 3. - 292 pp. (in Russian).
Vahromeeva M. G., Pavlov V. N. 1990. Plants of Red Book of USSR. - M.:, Pedagogika, 240 pp. (in Russian).