Coenoflora of Spiraeanthus Schrenkianus (Fisch. And C.A. Mey.) Maxim.

Spiraeanthus schrenkianus (Fisch. and C.A. Mey.) Maxim is a plant species that belongs to the family Rosaceae, endemic to Kazakhstan and possibly Kyrgyzstan, but as an endangered species. This shrub is one of the oldest plants on our planet, however, little is known about the plants that co-exist with the S. schrenkianus. Knowledge about the coenoflora of endemic and endangered species is fundamental for a more accurate understanding of the potential threats on the plant's existence. To fill up this gap, the 15 coenopopulations of S. schrenkianus found in the Boraldaytau Mountains (Central part of the Syrdarya Karatau, Kazakhstan) and seven coenopopulations from the Betpak-Dala desert of Kazakhstan were analyzed. The coenoflora of S. schrenkianus consists of 232 species belonging to 146 genera and 41 families. The coenoflora from Syrdarya Karatau differed significantly from the Betpak-Dala desert, where only seven species occur together i.e., Adonis parviflora, Anisantha tectorum, Atraphaxis spinosa, Euphorbia falcata, Ixiolirion tataricum, Poa bulbosa, and Tulipa greigii. The similarity dendrogram of coenopopulations revealed greater differences in the floral composition of the plant communities, suggesting a disjunctive range in the target areas like Syrdarya Karatau, and the Betpak-Dala desert, Kazakhstan. The stability of S. schrenkianus is related to the ancient relict characters of the species formed in the Paleogene's arid conditions.