A short life cycle of introduced Carex vulpina L. in the Donetsk Botanical Garden

Basing on the study of a short life cycle in introduced ornamental Carex vulpina L. in the Donetsk Botanical Garden, we have revealed and described five main stages of ontogeny (plantlet, juvenile, immature, virginal, young generative) and determined their time limits. It was found out that pregenerative period in this species lasts only for one growing season. This fact may be preconditioned by optimal for sapling development conditions (edaphic ones and agricultural methods). This study allowed us to formulate the following specific traits of a short life cycle in C. vulpina: a prolonged seed germination period, a long lasting relationship between a plant and its seed, an accelerated pregenerative period of ontogeny. Based on these data we suggest seed reproduction of this introduced species to be the best way to get a number of high grade planting material yet in the second year after sowing, which has implications for landscaping in our region.