DISTRIBUTION AND EGOLOGY-PHYTOCOENETIC FEATURES OF SAUSSUREA KOLESNIKOVII KHOKHR. ET WOROSCH. (ASTERACEAE) – ENDEMIC PLANT OF THE SIKHOTE-ALIN RANGE

Summary. Saussurea kolesnikovii (Asteraceae) is a rare endemic species from the Sikhote-Alin Mountain Range, it locally distributed in Primorsky krai. At present, eight locations of S. kolesnikovii are known between the Dalnegorsk city and the Amgu River on the eastern macroslope of Sikhote-Alin. The maximum extent of its range from the north-east to the south-west is 215 km, from the southeast to the north-west – 55 km. Some of its locations are confined to the coastal strip; the other part of the locations adjoins the main watershed of Sikhote-Alin. S. kolesnikovii occurs in the lower forest belt occupied by the nemoral forests, and in the upper forest belt, where boreal forests dominate. The upper limit of distribution of this species passes at an altitude of 900–1 000 m above sea level. S. kolesnikovii grows on seaside cliffs, on mixed herbaceous seaside slopes, in forests (mostly in seaside oak forests), on rocks and stony screes in the forest belt. S. kolesnikovii refers to xeromesophytes, facultative petrophytes. We recommend including S. kolesnikovii in the new edition of the Red Data Book of Primorsky krai