The wild pear ( Pyrus L . , Rosaceae ) species in the flora of Azerbaijan Republic

The article provides information about wild pears spread in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It has been revealed that currently 21 species of wild pears belonging to the Pyrus L. genus are known in the flora of Azerbaijan. 17 species of them have been spread in the area of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Pyrus zangеzura Malееv., P. vоrоnоvii Rubtz., P. gеоrgica Kuth., P. demetrii Kuth., P. fedorovii Kuth., P. psuеdоsyriaca Gladkоva., P. chosrovica Gladkova., P. mеgrica Gladkоva, P.caucasica var. schuntukеnsis Tuz., P. salicifolia var. angustifolia Kuth., P. salicifolia var. latifolia Alexenko species have been given firstly for the flora of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. As a result of climate change and anthropogenic factors in recent years in the Autonomous Republic considering the wild pears of Pyrus boissieriana Buhse (CR A2 abc; C1), P. eldarica Grossh. (CR A2 abc; C1), P. grossheimii Fed. (CR A4 cd; C1), P. hyrcana Fed. (CR A2 abc; C1), P. salicifolia Pall. (NT), P.vsevolodii Heidemann (NT) species rareness and endangering they have been included the Red Book of Azerbaijan, P. mеdvеdеvii Rubtz. (NT), P. syriaca Bоiss. (NT), P. zangеzura Malееv. (VU B1a(i)c(ii); C2a(i)), P. raddеana Wоrоnоw (VU B1a(i)c(ii); C2a(i)), P. vоrоnоvii Rubtz. (VU B1a(i)c(ii); C2a(i)), P. mеgrica Gladkоva (VU B1a(i)c(ii); C2a(i)) species have also been included the Red Book of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.


Introduction
There are more than 150 species wild fruits and berries belonging to the 15 families and 36 generas in the forests of Azerbaijan.Their composition is rich in various vitamins, microelements, proteins, fats, sugars, acids, in a word, with many essential elements useful for human organisms.From this point of view, wild fruits do not fall behind cultivated fruit types and sometimes they are superior from them.One of the wild fruits is the species pear belonging to the genus Pyrus L. grown in our forests.27 species from them are grown in the Caucasus.
There have been shown 18 species of pears in the flora of Azerbaijan (Fedorov, 1954), 2 species of them (P.serotina Rehd.and P. communis L.) have been cultivated in cultura and four species (P.еlata Rubtz., P. vоrоnоvii Rubtz., P. raddеana Wоrоnow, P. cоmplехa Rubtz.) are believed to be in the territory of Azerbaijan.

Methods
In order to clarify the current situation of the representatives of Pyrus L. in the Azerbaijan Republic flora, there have been given attention to the herbariums kept at their Herbarium Fund of the Botany Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Bioresources İnstitute of Nakhchivan branch of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Nakhchivan State University, there have also been comparative analysis of herbarium samples concerning of organizations and various Institutions placed on their web sites.There have been determined the content of the Pyrus L. genus fulfilling of field expeditions during 2004-2017.Also, in the studies of T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibrahimov (2007), there have been shown the spreading of new variation of P. caucasica var.schuntukеnsis Tuz. in the Shahbuz region (1900-200 m above sea level).The P. caucasica var.schuntukеnsis Tuz.
variation have been determined according to the specimen of the herbarium specimen from the Shuntuk river basin (350 m above sea level) in 1966 by A.S. Tuz (Tuz, 1972).
As P. caucasica Fеd. has been grown in the wetlands, but also has a high fruit yield.Indigenous people gather and use this species fruit enthusiastically.Natural restoration is sufficient. 5. P. vsеvоlоdi Hеidеman.The tree is about 5 m.The fruit is spheric pear formed, the diameter is 1.8-2.0cm.Firstly, it is netted hairy, as growing up became naked, the fruit stalk is thick, hairy, is longer 1.5 to 2 times than fruit.It grows at the edge of the near the Altiaghac village of the Khizi region (Fedorov, 1954).6. P. demetrii Kuth.It is a tree of a gray shell and spheric canopy, the height is 6-7 m.The shoots are grey-red-shelled and naked, with long thorns.The leaves are lancet form, the height is 4-7 (8.5) cm, the width is 1. 2-1.6 (1.8) cm.The surface of leaf is bright green, bare, and the bottom side is pale green, slightly hairy along the middle vein.Drying time is becoming relatively dark.Fully or poorly vivid toothed, becoming sharpen at the end.The stalk is 1.5-2.5 cm in length and it is naked.The fruits are oblated from the poles, are naked and the lenght is 2.2-2.5 cm and diameter is 2.5-3.0 cm.The ripen fruit is brown.The thicker fruit stalk is 1.5-2.0cm height.The pulp is very solid and hardened, it is a mouth-astringent.The species have been collected by Sh.İ.Kutateladze for the first time in 1947 (Kutateladze, 1947) and determined based on herbarium specimens.
There have been shown that, P. demetrii Kuth.species have found in sparse forest as individually or along with oak, hawthorn, and other species of pear in the Nurgut village of Ordubad region and Bichenek village of Shahbuz region by T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibragimov (Talibov & Ibragimov, 2009).It is a new species for the flora of Azerbaijan, as well as Nakhchivan AR.
3. Sеctiо: Хеrоpyrеniа Fеd.1954, Trees and shrubs of the USSR, 3: 401. 7. P. zangеzura Malееv.It is a thornless tree, height is up to 9-10 m, with scattered canopy.The branches are grey, immature shoots are dark brown.The leaves are wide; scalpel or oblongated egg-shaped, blunt or sharp pointed, the edges are blunt arched toothed.The fruit is in the bunch group with 7-8 numbers.There have been supposed to be found in the adjacent territories to Zangazur in Azerbaijan on the literature information (Bandin & Aliyev, 1970;Fedorov, 1954).
T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibragimov (Talibov & Ibrahimov, 2007) confirmed that existence of P. zangеzura Malееv.species in the flora of Azerbaijan, as showing that this species had grown at 1900-2000 m above sea level, the area called "Serkhanbichen" in the Shahbuz State Nature Reserve of Nakhchivan AR.
The Wild Pear (Pyrus L., Rosaceae) species Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 8(1), 2018 K.S. Asadov and A.K. Asadov (2001) show the availability of P. salicifolia Pall. in the forest of Bichenek.It is mainly reproduced with root shoots.In the researches conducted by T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibrahimov, there have been given information on the wide spreading of var.latifolia Alexenko and var.angustifolia Kuth.variations of P. salicifolia Pall.species in the territory of the Autonomous Republic.
16. P. mеdvеdеvii Rubtz.It is a tree, the length is 10-20 cm long.The leaves are reverse lancet, the lehgth is 9.0-11.0cm, and the width is 3.0 cm.The fruit is green, as pear form.The fruit stalk is long and felty hairy.It is spread on rocky and dry mountain slopes of Nakhchivan AR.The spread area of the species has further been clarified by T.H. Talibоv and A.M. Ibrahimov (2007).It has been revealed that, P. mеdvеdеvii Rubtz.species have mainly spread in the near of the Jamaldin village of Julfa region the area called "Almemmed piri", as individually in Bichenek forest and on dry rocky of Lisbirt valley (surround of Karakush mountain) of Babek region.17.P. охypriоn Wоrоnоw.It is a sparse thorny tree or bush with scattered canopy, the height is up to 5 m.Young branches are grided hairy.The leaves are obstinate lancet form, the leaf surface is turned to the stalk by being thinner to the bottom, the length is 3.0-7.0cm, the width is 1.5 cm, and the edges are sharp toothed.The size of the fruit is smaller, the diameter is 1.5 cm, oblongated, the fruit stalk is up to 1.5-2.0cm, felted hairy.
P. охypriоn Wоrоnоw have not been noted in the books of "Flora of Azerbaijan" (1954) and "Trees and shrubs of Azerbaijan" (1970).L.I. Prilipko (1939) and E.M. Gurbanov (1996) have showed that this species has been found in Nakhchivan AR.
T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibrahimov (2007) have showed that P. охypriоn have been found in area of Sirab village of Babak region, at the surroinding area of Bichenek and Ayrinc villages of Shahbuz region, on the stony slopes of Kukudag, on the slopes of Ardij mountain of Sharur region.It flourishes in April-May, and its fruit ripens in August -September.It is drought resistant, not demanding to the soil.18. P. gеоrgica Kuth.It is a short tree or bush with the height to up 4-9 m.The fruit is pear or sphere form, greenish, matte or yellowish-brown style.The stalk is longer than 1.5-4.0cm.It is shown that plant has been grown in the rockies of Guba region and southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus of Azerbaijan flora.It was depicted for the first time in Georgia.It is grown in the forest and shrubbery of Shamakhi, Shabran and Khizi districts.
There have been identified the new spread zone of P. gеоrgica by T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibrahimov (2007), there have been shown that, plant have spread on the right bank of the Gilanchay valley (1200 m above sea level) of Ordubad region of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, in the Guzey called area near the of Guney Gishlag of Shahbuz region and in Bichenek forest (1860 m above sea level).
19. P. chosrovica Gladkova.It is a thorny tree with scattered canopy the height is 6-7 m.The branches are dark brown.The leaves height is 4-6 ( 8) cm, ellipse-shaped, and in some cases, wide-lancet shaped.The edge is totally or obscurities toothed.First of all, both sides have a delicate felt-hairy, then the bottom side is felt-hairy, and the top is bright green, and when dryer it is relatively darker.The most common that, it is wide in the middle.The main part is wedge formed, sharp or pointed ended.The diameter of rounded fruits is 2.5-3.5 (4) cm, upside is covered with very scattering hairy and 2.0 cm heighted of hairy stems have been gathered mainly in pairs.P. chosrovica Gladkova species have been assigned by V.N.Gladkova (Gladkova, 1990) that, have been coolected from the Khosrov Reserve of Vedi district on 01.XX.1989, by the sample stored in the Herbarium of St. Petersburg (Leningrad -LE) of Russia.Due to some investigations, the species have been found in oak-hawthorn, hawthorn-pear forest of Bichanak village of Shahbuz district of the Autonomous Republic (Talibov, Ibrahimov, 2007;2009).It is new species for the flora of Azerbaijan, as well as Nakhchivan.20.P. mеgrica Gladkоva.It is a thornless tree, with scattered canopy.The height is 8 m, the diameter is up to 25-30 cm.The bark of the branches is grey or light brown coloured.The leaves are oblongated lancet form, the length is 5.5-7.0 cm, and the width is 1.5-2.0cm.Both sides of leaves are hairy, then the hairs on the surface of aged leaves fell and became bright, the hairs at the bottom side stayed.The stalk is short and tightly hairy.
The fruits are smaller, rounded-pear, top sides are sparse hairy, the fruit stem is shorter and become stout to the fruit.P. mеgrica Gladkоva have been descripted from the Zangazur area by the V.N.Gladkova (Gladkova, 1990) for the first time.P. mеgrica Gladkоva species have been notted in the sparse oak -hawthorn forests, along with other pear species in area of Nasirvaz village of Ordubad region by T.H. Talibov and A.M. Ibrahimov (2007).It is a new species for the flora of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.
21. P. fedorovii Kuth.It is a tree, the height of 5-7 m, with a pyramidal canopy, has got long and thin thorns.The leaves are narrow-lancet form or rarely in the long ellipse shape, the main part is narrowed by the longitudinal pace and the top part is sharpened gradually.The length of leaves is 3.0-7.0(7.5) cm, and the width is 0.8-1.3cm, it is nude, bright green on upside, it is naked or along the veins is unevenly splitted hairy the bottom side, fully edged.The lenght of fruits are 1.8-2.2cm and 2.3-2.7 cm in diameter, round or oblongated or egg-shaped, naked, lemon-yellow coloured.It ripens in light brown coloured.The fruits are individually set on short and naked, thick stems, that their height is 0.8-1.5 (1.8) cm.The species has been originally assigned to herbarium samples collected by Sh.İ.Kutateladze (Kutateladze, 1947) in 1947 for the first time.
During the investigations carried out by T.H. Taliabov and A.M. Ibrahimov, P. fedorovii Kuth.species have been found on the dry stony slopes of Payiz and Buzgov villages of of Babek region, in forest areas and mountain slopes of Bichanek village of Shahbuz region, the areas between the Daridagh and Jamaldin villages (Ibrahimov, 2008;Talibov & Ibrahimov, 2009).It is a new species for the flora of Azerbaijan and as well as Nakhchivan.
From them P.еldarica Grоssh., P. bоissiеriana Buhsе and P. hyrcana Fеd.species have been included to the The Red Book of Azerbaijan USSR (1987) that published in 1989 and P. raddеana Wоrоnоw species to the former Soviet Union's Red Book (Red book of the USSR, 1984).Recent findings show that pear species in Azerbaijan should be investigated more thoroughly and determined their natural reserve and tons of pear fruit that remained without use should be directed to production.