engleski

Wild geophytes in Croatian vascular flora and its potential use in sustainable horticulture

Geophytes, herbaceous plants with underground storage organs (bulbs, rhizomes, etc.), create an important part of Croatia’s floristic wealth, about 14% of the total 5153 vascular plants. Over the last decades, interest in the use of wild plants in horticulture has increased. In this study, wild geophytes in Croatia were analyzed and selected these which are possible to be used as ornamental plants. The analysis revealed a total of 55 species and subspecies of wild geophytes (belonging to 34 genera and 19 families) with potential ornamental value. Of the 55 identified taxa (53 species and two subspecies) of wild geophytes, 48 species belong to the angiosperms, and seven to the ferns. Furthermore, it has been found that 33 taxa had rhizomes and 22 had bulbs. When the wild geophytes were analyzed in terms of flower color, the most common flower color is white (32%), followed by other colors (purple, pink, yellow, etc.). In conclusion, factors such as urbanization, tourism, and human impacts threaten the habitats of wild geophytes and it is very important to reduce these effects to a minimum level and at the same time ensure that the taxa are kept in place and out of place. In this context, the use of geophytes belonging to the wild taxa of Croatian flora will provide great contributions to sustainable horticulture, reduction of environmental problems and conservation of biodiversity.

wild geophytes, ornamental plants, flower color, vascular flora, Croatia

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