Biological features of Scutellaria altissima L. under culture conditions in the Non-Black Soil zone of Russia

The purpose of research is to study the biological characteristics and establish the main diagnostic features of the skullcap raw material when grown in culture. The results of the study of the biological features of the skullcap (Scutellaria altissima L.) in the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia are presented. The dates of the onset of phenological phases, the average values of quantitative morphological traits, and the coefficients of variation were determined on the example of plants of the second year of life. The duration of the period from the beginning of vegetation (regrowth) to mass fruiting is on average about 110-120 days. In plants of the second year of life, the beginning of the period of mass budding falls on the third decade of May, flowering begins in the second decade of June; mass fruiting - from the first decade of July to the first decade of August. Scutellaria altissima L. in the conditions of the Moscow Region goes through the entire seasonal cycle of growth and development, it blooms and forms ripe fruits. The highest phenotypic variability was noted in terms of the number of generative shoots per plant. The weight of 1000 seeds should be included among the weakly variable traits. The high variability of a number of traits suggests that the population of Scutellaria altissima L. includes many biotypes. This indicates the possibility of targeted selection, depending on the purpose of further research, the most valuable forms. All parts of the plant are covered with simple multicellular trichomes; essential oil glands were found on the epidermis of leaf blades. Corolla and calyx are characterized by a double type of pubescence: simple multicellular and glandular trichomes. As a result of microscopic examination of the epidermis of skullcap, characteristic anatomical and diagnostic features have been established that will allow the identification of impurities in medicinal plant materials. The established signs will help to assess the adaptive potential of the plant in changing growing conditions.