Significance of "Rare endangered species of Siberian plants" collection in the Central Siberian Botanical Garden

"Rare and Endangered Plant Species of Siberia" collection of the Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the SB RAS was founded in 1965. The main purpose of the collection is to preserve the species of plants of Siberia included into the Red Book of the state and regional level, as well as endemics and relics. Plants are introduced on an ecological basis. Conditions for them are created corresponding to their natural habitats. Biology of species is studied on basis of the collection, using a variety of methods of seed science, antecology and ontogeny. The species of Iridaceae and Violaceae are studed by phylogenetic method. Thanks to this, during the 50 years of the collection's formation, almost all Siberian species from these families were introduced or prospects of their introduction were estimated on basis of the Central Siberian Botanical Garden. In total, 54 Siberian species with state protection level were introduced. The paper presents the state of introductory populations of 38 Siberian species included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Currently, the collection is also actively used to clarify taxonomic issues, identify adaptive features, using a variety of methods, including molecular genetic, karyological, phytochemical, biotechnological, to develop scientifically sound recommendations for plant species conservation in nature and creation of sustainable populations. Presence of stable populations under the conditions of introduction, especially of small or endangered species in nature, is of great importance for reconstruction of populations of these species, since the seed material from collection can be used for their restoration. Thus, the collection is a basis for addressing issues in various areas of botany and a donor for natural populations reconstruction of rare and endangered species.