Distribution features and the current state of Tilia L. species growing in forest ecosystems of Greater Caucasus (within Azerbaijan)

Summary

Linden (Tilia), one of the main trees of the deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere, is most diverse in East Asia. According to various literary sources published in Azerbaijan to date, 3 types of linden are widespread in our flora - Caucasian linden (T. caucasica), Large-leaved linden (T. platyphyllos) and heart-shaped linden (T. cordata). Although in the indicated sources it is mentioned that all three types of linden are found in the 5 regions of the Greater Caucasus that we studied (within Azerbaijan), the results of our studies conducted in 2013-2019, the verification of the herbarium fund of the ANAS Institute of Botany and the analysis of literature data showed that in the territory of Ismayilli, Zagatala and Sheki districts, only Caucasian linden naturally grows, and in the Guba and Gusar regions, 2 types of linden are Caucasian linden and heart-shaped linden. It was first revealed that large-leaved linden (T. platyphyllos) does not occur not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the Caucasus. The article notes the botanical description of the Caucasian and heart-shaped linden species as a result of studying samples taken from the territory of 5 studied regions and stored in the Herbarium Fond of the Institute of Botany of ANAS with classical comparative-morphological and systematic research methods.

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