Location and area
The Biological Section presents some aspects of plant diversity, fundamental features of the living matter (structure and functions), of evolution (evidence and mechanisms), as well as the role of man in ecological and evolutionary processes. The section is located in the central part of the Botanical Garden and has an area of 5.41 ha.
Description
At the entrance to the section, guarded on both sides by the columns of the tree of life (Thuja occidentalis 'Fastigiata'), there are two groups of rockeries highlighting some aspects of the evolution of plants. The rock formation from the northern part of the section, made of limestones from Repedea - Iasi, presents to the visitor some paleontological evidence of the evolutionary process, through a rich fossil fauna, especially mollusks, fossils incorporated in limestone sandstones of Middle Sarmatian age. In this rock formation there are presented aspects of flower evolution, from the actinomorphic flowers to the zygomorphic ones, and, from the polypetalous flowers (with free petals) to the gamopetalous (with united petals) ones.
In the actinomorphic polypetalous subsection are cultivated: Anemone hupehensis var. japonica, A. sylvestris, Aster alpinus var. dolomiticus, Epimedium alpinum, Dianthus monspessulanus, D. knappii, D. spiculifolius, D. superbus, D. superbus 'Crimsonia', Potentilla rupestris, P. nepalensis, Waldsteinia geoides, etc., while in polypetalous zygomorphic subsection are exhibited: species from Balsaminaceae botanic family, Consolida regalis, Coronilla vaginalis, Delphinium elatum, Dicentra spectabilis, D. torulosa, Viola labradorica, V. cornuta, V. sororia, Trifolium incarnatum, Medicago lupulina, etc. Towards the top of the rockery, where species having flowers with united petals are cultivated, the actinomorphic and gamopetalous species are shown on the left side: Campanula carpatica, C. rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia, C. poscharskyana, C. aliariifolia, C. trachelium, Lithospermum prostratum, Leontopodium alpinum, Platycodon grandiflorus, Plantago major 'Rubrifolia', etc., while in the right side are cultivated plants with gamopetalous and zygomorphic corolla: Ajuga reptans, A. reptans 'Variegata', Antirrhinum majus, Calamintha nepeta 'Blue Cloud', Digitalis lutea, Lamium maculatum 'Silver Beacon', Linaria vulgaris, Lobelia erinus, L. siphilitica, Nepeta x faassenii 'Snowflake', Satureja caerulea, Teucrium polium, Thymus serpyllum, T. vulgaris 'Foxley', Veronica austriaca subsp. austriaca, and V. orchidea.
The group of rockeries located near the central axis of the Botanical Garden, built from sedimentary rocks from the Pojorata, Molid, and Vama quarries (Suceava County), exemplifies some morphological evidence of plant evolution: metamorphosed stems and leaves, as well as progressive and regressive metamorphoses of the flower.
The subsection Metamorphosis of organs is currently restructured, being represented only by the rockery in the vicinity of the Ornamental and Systematic Sections. The neighboring rockeries are attributed to typically alpine plants, in addition to the Alpinarium, but there, some woody plants have developed greatly, making it almost impossible to preserve herbaceous plants. Thus, the collection of plants showing metamorphoses in various organs contains several representative examples of species with tunicate bulbs: Anemone blanda, A. coronaria; species with plagiotropic rhizomes: Anemone multifida var. multifida, A. multifida var. saxicola, A. sylvestris, Geranium macrorrhizum; species with tunicate bulbs and contractile roots: Crocus vernus; species with rhizomes: Helleborus foetidus, H. lividus subsp. corsicus, H. niger, H. odorus, H. purpurascens; species with bulbs: Iris hollandica; with rhizomes: Iris pumila, I. germanica, Paeonia tenuifolia, Pulsatilla halleri, P. montana, P. vulgaris subsp. grandis, P. vulgaris var. rubra; species with phylloclades: Ruscus aculeatus, R. hypoglossum; species with reduced leaves: Ephedra distachya; species with succulent stems and leaves: Sedum album, S. sexangulare, S. hispanicum, S. spurium, S. spathulifolium, S. stoloniferum, S. telephium subsp. telephium, and S. telephium subsp. maximum.
The Alpinarium is located at the margin of the plateau, ending the central compositional axis of the Botanical Garden. It is made of several types of rocks: sedimentary (sandstones and limestones, from Pojorata and Repedea), volcanic (andesite and granite, from Molid quarry) and metamorphic (crystalline limestones, green schists brought from the Vama quarry). Here, the alleys with the pyramidal thujas (Thuja occidentalis 'Fastigiata') are continued by groups of pines (Pinus nigra, P. sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies), some yew specimens (Taxus baccata, T. baccata 'Adpressa', T. cuspidata), a collection of junipers: Juniperus communis, J. chinensis, J. horizontalis, J. horizontalis 'Glauca', J. horizontalis 'Douglasii', J. horizontalis 'Andorra Compacta', J. horizontalis 'Prostrata', J. x media 'Pfitzeriana', J. x media 'Pfitzeriana Glauca', and a collection of cotoneasters: Cotoneaster acuminatus, C. divaricatus, C. integerrimus, C. lucidus, C. melanocarpus, C. multiflorus, and C. nitens.
In addition to the vegetation specific to the alpinarium, some herbaceous plants are currently preserved in one of the rockeries situated to the left of the central axis, near the Systematic Section. Here are preserved a series of alpine plants such as: Alyssum murale, A. saxatile, Campanula carpatica, C. carpatica var. turbinata, C. aliariifolia, C. portenschlagiana, C. punctata, C. punctata var. hondoensis, C. rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia, Codonopsis clematidea, Gentiana septemfida var. lagodechiana, G. tibetica, Hutchinsia alpina, Jasione montana, Satureja montana, Silene nutans subsp. dubia, S. zawadskii, Thymus serpyllum, T. citriodorus, etc. The calcicolous species as Leontopodium alpinum, L. himalayanum, Dianthus spiculifolius, Satureja caerulea or saxicolous species such as Andryala integrifolia etc. are presented in a neighboring rock formation where the substrate has been changed in several nests, adding dolomite or a substrate rich in silicon.
The subsection Adaptation of plants to pollination, presents examples of plant species adapted to anemophily (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, C. lawsoniana 'Allumi', Juniperus virginiana 'Glauca', Taxus baccata 'Aurea', Picea orientalis, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Cotinus coggygria, Corylus avellana), while towards the periphery of the section some entomophilous plants are cultivated - whose pollination vectors are bees (Malus sylvestris, Crataegus oxyacantha, Caryopteris x clandonensis, Helianthus annuus), bumblebees (Aconitum napellus, Allium aflatunense, Antirrhinum majus, Centaurea stenolepis, C. moschata), wasps (Digitalis grandiflora, D. lutea, Scrophularia nodosa), butterflies (diurnal butterflies: Buddleja davidii, Lychnis chalcedonica, Perovskia atriplicifolia or nocturnal butterflies: Mirabilis jalapa, Narcissus poeticus, Nicotiana longiflora, Oenothera biennis, Petunia violacea), flies (Asarum europaeum, Cornus alba, Aristolochia macrophylla, Asclepias syriaca), beetles (Magnolia kobus, Viburnum lantana, V. rhytidophyllum), snails (Chrysosplenium alternifolium). In the same subsection are presented some examples of adaptation of flowers in order to attract insects: bright colors of floral parts (as petals – Aquillegia hybrida 'Winky Double Red & White', Canna indica 'Melody', Chaenomeles japonica, Digitalis purpurea, Inula helenium, Papaver somniferum 'Danish Flag', 'Przemko' etc.; stamens – Lilium sp.; stigma – Ricinus communis; inflorescence bracts – Euphorbia marginata, Salvia sclarea, Helleborus); or the presence of nectaries (extrafloral – Impatiens balsamina, Rosa 'Alissar, Princess of Phoenicia', Prunus padus, or intrafloral – Angelica archangelica, Chaerophyllum aromaticum, Myosotis sylvatica, Papaver orientale, Berberis vulgaris, Campanula glomerata, C. trachelium), the presence of volatile oils (Lavandula angustifolia, Melissa officinalis, Ribes aureum, Rosa agrestis), and of some aromatic compounds (Hypericum androsaemum, Reseda odorata), etc.
The subsection Plant adaptations to fruit and seed dispersal is located in continuation of the above-mentioned subsection. Various autochorous plants are grown here (Castanea sativa, Geranium pratense, Brassica oleracea, Ecballium elaterium, Lupinus polyphyllus, Buxus sempervirens, Plantago major 'Atropurpurea', Primula veris, Syringa vulgaris, S. x henryi, S. josikaea, S. villosa, as well as some allochorous species (anemochorous – Digitalis purpurea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Catalpa bignonioides, Paulownia tomentosa, Fraxinus excelsior, Epilobium hirsutum, Populus nigra, zoochorous, epizoochorous – Agrimonia eupatoria, Arctium lappa, Bidens tripartita, Galium aparine, Pulmonaria officinalis, endozoochorous – Berberis vulgaris, Crataegus macrosperma, C. monogyna, Physalis alkekengi, Prunus cerasifera, ornithochorous – Aronia melanocarpa, Rhamnus frangula, Rubus caesius, Viburnum opulus, Viscum album, myrmecochorous – Asarum europaeum, Euphorbia lathyris, Chelidonium majus, or anthropochorous species – Agrimonia eupatoria, Xanthium spinosum, Iva xanthiifolia, etc.).
The Ecological subsection presents samples of mountain, forest-steppe and steppe vegetation. In this subsection can be observed some paleontological evidence of the evolution of the living world (Ephedra distachya, Ginkgo biloba, as well as the lamellibranch Mactra podolica fossilized in the rocks coming from Repedea), mechanisms of plant evolution through ecological isolation – Primula elatior, P. vulgaris, seasonal isolation – Pinus nigra, P. sylvestris, Phlox divaricata, P. subulata, P. paniculata, mechanical isolation – species of the genera Penstemon, Salvia, or through gametic isolation – species of the genera Gilia, Primula. There are also presented evidence of the plants evolution through mutagenesis (natural gene mutations, also called bud variations) – Acer negundo 'Variegatum', A. pseudoplatanus 'Purpureum', Morus alba 'Pendula', through chromosomal mutations – Clarkia, Oenothera, Primula, Paeonia officinalis, via genomic mutations or speciation through polyploidy – Helianthus tuberosus, among autopolyploids and Nicotiana tabacum, Brassica napus, among allopolyploids. Another examples in the case of polyploid complexes are: Rosa canina, R. gallica, R. rubiginosa, R. multiflora, R. persica, Syringa x henryi, S. emodi, S. japonica, S. josikaea, S. julianae, S. velutina, S. villosa, S. vulgaris, S. vulgaris 'Lavender Lady'.
A priority among activities carried out in this section is the ex situ conservation of threatened species as a result of uncontrolled human activity, but also of the relationships between abiotic factors and plants, or the interrelationships between different species. The threatened species that are conserved ex situ in the Biological Section are spread across various subsections, where the created ecological environments are favorable for this activity. Among the protected species conserved here, there are: Acanthus balcanicus, Adonis vernalis, Allium flavum subsp. tauricum, Angelica archangelica, Asparagus verticillatus, Asphodeline lutea, Campanula romanica, Dianthus spiculifolius, D. nardiformis, D. pseudarmeria, Ecballium elaterium, Echinops banaticus, Ephedra distachya, Epipactis helleborine, Euphorbia myrsinites subsp. myrsinites, Helleborus odorus, Hepatica transsilvanica, Iris brandzae, I. halophila, I. sibirica, Juniperus sabina, Larix decidua, Leontopodium alpinum, Lychnis viscaria subsp. atropurpurea, Paeonia daurica, P. officinalis var. banatica, P. peregrina, P. tenuifolia, Periploca graeca, Petrorhagia saxifraga, Pinus nigra subsp. banatica, P. sylvestris, Polemonium caeruleum, Potentilla rupestris, Pulsatilla vulgaris subsp. grandis, Ruscus aculeatus, R. hypoglossum, Salvia ringens, Satureja caerulea, Sedum album, Silene nutans subsp. dubia, S. zawadzkii, Sorbus borbasii, Syringa josikaea, Taxus baccata, Thymus serpyllum, Waldsteinia geoides.
The main purpose of the section is to contribute to education of people in the spirit of the scientific conception about the world and life, and to mobilize them to fight for nature conservation and environmental protection.
