Adonis volgensis DC.

Kubentayev, Serik, Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj, Alibekov, Daniyar, Son, Dong Chan, Tsegmed, Zagarjav, Myrzagaliyeva, Anar, Zhumagul, Moldir, Rustemova, Assel, Mukhtubayeva, Saule, Kubentayeva, Balsulu & Choi, Hyeok Jae, 2025, A taxonomic revision of Adonis (Ranunculaceae) in Kazakhstan, Italian Botanist 20, pp. 45-76 : 45-76

Adonis volgensis DC. , Syst. Nat. [Candolle] 1: 545 (1817).

Fig. 9

≡ Adonanthe volgensis (Steven ex DC.) Chrtek & Slavíková in Preslia 50: 24 (1978)

≡ Adonis vernalis var. volgensis (Steven ex DC.) Regel in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 34 (II): 35 (1862)

≡ Chrysocyathus volgensis (Steven ex DC.) Holub in Preslia 70: 103 (1998)

Type.

Russia. ‘ Ad Volgam, 1817, Steven s. n. ’, 1807, sub. nom. “ A. apennina ? ” ( lectotype G 00144834 (digital photo). image of the lectotype is available at http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/chg (accessed on 6 July 2025)). [designated by Sennikov (1988) as ‘ holotype’].

General distribution.

Altay, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, East European Russia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Krym, North Caucasus, Romania, South European Russia, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Ukraine, West Siberia ( POWO 2025).

Distribution in Kazakhstan.

Syrt, Tobol-Ishim, Semipalatinsk pine forest, Kokchetav, Caspian Region, Aktobe, Mugojary, Emba, Western Upland, Eastern Upland, Karkaraly, Betpak-Dala.

Habitat and ecology.

Grows in Stipa and Stipa – Festuca steppes, occasionally along forest edges, at elevations of 400–900 m above sea level.

Conservation status.

The estimated EOO is 1,405,740 km 2 and estimated AOO is 844 km 2. Therefore, the conservation status of A. volgensis has been assessed least concern. It is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan under category III ( Baitulin 2014). Considering its wide distribution and high frequency of occurrence, we recommend excluding this species from the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan.

Phenology.

Flowering in March – April; fruiting in May.

Chromosome number.

2 n = 16 ( Shlangena 1976; Mitrenina et al. 2022).

Notes.

This species differs from A. vernalis by its broader, more basally wrapped leaf lobes and smaller pale yellow flowers ( Bobrov 1937). Some researchers, particularly Komarov (1944), considered A. volgensis to be merely a geographical race of A. vernalis ( Melnyk and Parubok 2004) . However, the results of phylogenetic analysis demonstrate a close relationship between A. vernalis and A. volgensis ( Seidl et al. 2022; Conti et al. 2023). Based on the classification introduced by Wang (1994 a), A. volgensis belongs to subg. Adonanthe sect. Adonanthe W. T. Wang ser. vernales Bobr. ex Poschk. In 2023, a new species A. fucensis F. Conti & Bartolucci , was described from the Central Apennines. The central Italian A. fucensis accession (A 1252) is also closely related to A. volgensis and A. vernalis within the monophyletic group of A. sect. Adonanthe ser. Vernales ( Conti et al. 2023) . It is distributed across Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Europe, as well as Western and Central Asia (including Kazakhstan) and the northern regions of Turkey and Iran ( Luferov 2020).

Specimens examined.

Aktobe: Near the vicinity of the village of Akrab, chalk ridge Ishkargantau, Karasay area , 7 Jul 1965, Tscherkassova s. n. ( MW 0832023 !) ; near the chalk ridge Ishkargantau, Suyk-Bulak area , 18 Jun 1962, Tscherkassova s. n. ( LE!) ; 6 km northeast of Akrab village , 2 May 2019, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; 20 km west of Akrab village , chalk hills, 2 May 2019, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; 50 km north of the city of Temir, near the Yenbek kolkhoz , 7 Jul 1964, Tscherkassova s. n. ( MW 0832026 !; LE!) ; northeast of Uil settlement , chalk upland Akshatau, 19 Jun 1965, Tscherkassova s. n. ( MW 0832027 !) ; near the vicinity of Akshatau village , 3 May 2019, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; near the floodplain of the Butak River , 1 May 1991, Ajpeisova s. n. ( AA!) ; near Aktobe Province, the Khobda River basin, Kenisar-Mola, watershed between Kara Khobda and Sary Khobda , 27 Jul 1926, Il’in and Avramchik 160 ( LE!) ; foothills of the Mugodzhar Mountains in the Kargalinskoye Reservoir area , 6 May 2019, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; floodplain of the Kargala River (in the Kargalinskoye Reservoir area) , 5 May 2019, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; near Temir, Ilek station , 24 Apr 1913, Spiridonov s. n. ( LE!) ; near the Temir zonal experimental station, close to Dzhurun railway station , 12 May 1933, Voronov s. n. ( MW 0832028 !) . Betpak-Dala: Intermontane plain 10 km south of the Koktas River , 30 Apr 1957, Karamysheva and Yunatov 191 ( LE!) . Caspian Region: Near Ural District, Zhambeytinsky District , 9 May 1930, Dmitrieva s. n. ( AA!) ; valley of the Utva [Ulenty] River , 20 Jun 1927, Zhezhel’ and Rozhevitz s. n. ( LE!) . Eastern Upland: Near Mount Kyzyl-Rai, headwaters of the Izbushke [Zhinishke] River , 15 Jun 1960, Denisova s. n. ( MW 0832029 !) ; near Arkat , 15 Apr 1902, Sapozhnikov s. n. ( LE!) ; near Semipalatinsk Uyezd, between Bet-Kuduk and Tas-Kuduk springs , 7 May 1914, Kosinsky 9 ( LE!) ; at the foot of the Dzhaman-Bish-Cheku Mountains , 8 Jun 1928, Il’in and Heinrichson 32 ( LE!) ; slopes of Mount Aksoran, rocky gravelly soil , 28 Jun 1998, Mikhailov 5235 ( NUR!) ; valley of the Kokpektinka River, upper reaches from Mikhaylovskaya station to Tomar steppe area , 20 Jun 1914, Sapozhnikov and Genina s. n. ( LE!) ; near Karaoba Hills , 9 Jul 1890, Korzhinsky s. n. ( LE!) ; near Karkaraly Uyezd, Kumadyr area on saline soils, 19 Jul 1890, Korzhinsky s. n. ( LE!) . Emba: Near Aktobe Province, interfluve of the Uil and Emba Rivers, ascent to the Turkestan watershed between the Uil and Temir Rivers , 28 May 1926, Rozhevitz et al. s. n. ( AA!) ; near Temir Uyezd, meadowland along the bottom of the Turkestan ravine , 4 km from the city of Temir, 20 Apr 1908, Bogdan s. n. ( LE!) ; near Aktobe Province, interfluve of the Uil and Emba Rivers, 4 versts northeast of Temir , 19 May 1926, Rozhevitz 62 ( LE!) ; Aktobe Province, interfluve of the Uil and Emba Rivers , 31 May 1926, Knorring 92 ( LE!) . Irtysh: 3 km south of Demyanovka Village , 17 Jun 1955, Tzvelev et al. 272 ( LE!) ; 40 km west of Shcherbakty , 20 May 1955, Tzvelev et al. 57 ( LE!) ; on the road from Kzyl-Tu State Farm to Kuzbass State Farm in feather grass-fescue steppe , 27 May 1955, Isachenko et al. 2557 ( LE!) . Karkaraly: Northeast of Zhel’tau settlement , 15 May 1914, Kucherovskaya 1631 ( LE!) ; Bayanaul National Park, Bayanaul Mountains, vicinity of Mount Auliet , 26 May 2007, Kupriyanov et al. s. n. ( KUZ!) ; along the road Zhanatilek-Pobeda, Sadik wintering area , 28 May 2007, Kupriyanov et al. s. n. ( KUZ!) ; near Karkaraly Uyezd, Kent and Karkaraly Mountains , 15 Apr 1910, Kucherovskaya 1831 ( LE!) ; Songaria, in montibus Karkaraly , Jun 1843, Schrenk s. n. ( AA!) . Kokchetav: Near the city of Kokshetau , along the Kokshetau-Zerenda highway, 26 May 2020, Kubentayev 5934 ( NUR!) ; western and southern shores of Maloye Chebachye Lake , 29 Apr 1902, Ignatov and Piotrovsky 5 ( LE!) ; 2 km west of Kokchetav , 26 Apr 1956, Isachenko et al. 27 ( LE!) ; near the village of Krasny Gornyak , 12 Apr 2019, Kubentayev s. n. ( LE!) ; 8 km south of Kokchetav, northeastern slope of “ Galchevaya Mountain ”, 24 May 1955, Isachenko et al. 2513 ( LE!) ; near the Astana-Shchuchinsk highway, vicinity of Enbek Village , 7 May 2019, Kubentayev 6658 ( NUR 6658 !) ; Borovskoy Forest, vicinity of Bulandy Village, pine forest, Burabay National Park, 89 th quarter of Bulandy Forestry , 10 Jun 2011, Kupriyanov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; near the village of Shortandy, Western Department , 26 Jun 1992, Zemlyakova s. n. ( KUZ!) . Mugojary: Near the Ber-Chogur coal mines , 29 Jul 1921, Korovin s. n. ( MW 0832025 !; LE!) ; near Irgiz Uyezd, Mugodzhar Mountains, dry meadow near Berchogur [Birshoghyr] , 6 May 1910, Androssov 147 ( LE!) ; valley of the Kundyzdy River , 5 Jul 1927, Rusanov 664 ( LE!) . Semipalatinsk Pine Forest: Near Kara-Murza Cord , Kanonersky Forestry of Pavlodar Region, 28 Apr 1955, Elagina s. n. ( LE!) ; between Semipalatinsk and Uluguz Station , 30 Apr 1912, Shishkin s. n. ( LE!) ; near the southern part of Semipalatinsk District, left bank of the Irtysh River 20 versts east of Semipalatinsk , 7 May 1914, Shipchinsky 45 ( LE!) . Syrt: Beam near Uralsk , 13 Apr 1911, Borodin s. n. ( BRNU 095254 !; LE!) ; near Uralsk in Stepanov Garden , 3 May 1924, Larin s. n. ( AA!) ; near Uralsk Province, outskirts of Bannov Garden in a steppe depression , 1 Apr 1918, Larin s. n. ( AA!) ; near Uralsk, slope of the old river escarpment of Chagan near Prorva , 23 Apr 1911, Borodin 336 ( LE!) . Tobol-Ishim: Naurzum State Nature Reserve , 1 May 2010, students ( LE!) ; near the vicinity of Zhitikara [Zhetikara] , 14 Apr 2012, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Stepanovka , 12 May 2009, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Peshkovka , 4 May 2010, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Taranovskoye , 6 May 1978, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Kenaral , 8 May 1994, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Peshkovka , 1 May 2009, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Zarechny, natural landmark “ Urochishche Kamennoye Ozero ” , 29 Apr 1978, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Verenka, natural landmark “ Verensky Pine Forest ” , 1 May 2009, Dubenyuk s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Novonezhinka , 10 May 1968, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Kazakhstanets , 15 May 1996, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near Mikhailovskoye Forestry , 6 May 1978, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Asenkritovka , 6 May 1978, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Kamensk-Uralsky , 27 Apr 2009, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Shili , 1 May 1978, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the village of Mikhailovka , 30 Apr 2009, Dubenyuk s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the city of Kostanay , 19 Jun 1968, Sokolov s. n. ( AA!) ; near the Khutor Zhukova , 1 Apr 1930, Dmitriev s. n. ( AA!) ; near Akmola District, Sovenkovsky Experimental Site , Steppe, 20 May 1920, Sheludyakova s. n. ( AA!) ; near Akmola District, Sovenkovsky Experimental Site , slopes and depressions, 26 Apr 1920, Sheludyakova s. n. ( AA!) ; near Kargaly-Tau, Kara-Bulak Station , 1909, Savich and Kucherovskaya 155 ( LE!) ; near Kostanay District, meadow steppe along the Tobol River , 27 Apr 1921, Pavlov s. n. ( LE!) ; between Bulayevo Station and Konyukhovo Village , 26 Jul 1913, Ziles 387 ( LE!) ; near Petropavlovsk District, slopes of a ravine with clay soil near the railway closer to Petropavlovsk , 11 May 1914, Ganeshin 63 ( LE!) ; Petropavlovsk District, steppe beyond the railway near Petropavlovsk , 11 May 1914, Ganeshin s. n. ( LE!) ; near Kostanay District, steppe between Troitsk and Kostanay , May 1908, Krasheninnikov s. n. ( LE!) ; near the city of Kostanay , steppe, 1 May 1904, Fedoseev 8 ( LE!) ; near Turgay District, Nauryzumskaya Volost, edge of Nauryzum Pine Forest , among shrubs, 24 May 1909, Savich and Kucherovskaya 337 ( LE!) ; near Kostanay District, vicinity of Imanbaev Wintering [Yemankino] , 6 May 1907, Ostrovskih s. n. ( LE!) ; near Nauryzum Reserve, south of Egin-Bulak , 4 May 1935, Levitzky s. n. ( LE!) ; feather grass-fescue steppe on the southeastern edge of Nauryzum , 26 May 1909, Savich and Kucherovskaya 391 ( LE!) ; near Kostanay District, shrubs along the Tobol River floodplain near Kostanay , 20 May 1921, Korenev 229 ( LE!) ; near Kostanay District, Ara-Karagay Forest near the middle cordon on a meadow, 28 Apr 1921, Pavlov 229 ( LE!) ; near Petropavlovsk District, steppe beyond the railway near Petropavlovsk , 11 May 1914, Ganeshin s. n. ( LE!) ; 0.7 km east of the water tower siding between Kiyaly-Smirnovo Station , Petropavlovsk-Kokchetav Railway, 30 May 1928, Shapovalov 9 ( LE!) ; 18 km northwest of Dalny Station , 18 Jun 1955, Isachenko et al. 2962 ( LE!) . Turgay: Near the vicinity of Torgay settlement , 2 May 2010, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the vicinity of Zheleznodorozhnyj settlement , 1 May 2009, Andreeva s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the Damdy River , 1 May 2010, Perezhogin and Borodulina s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the Damdy River , 24 Apr 2011, students s. n. ( KSPI!) ; near the central estate of the Kiev State Farm , 15 May 1954, Kurochkina s. n. ( AA!; LE!) . Ulutau: Along the bank of a stream near Ulutau picket , 2 Jul 1914, Ganeshin 1256 ( LE!) ; near the vicinity of Tersakkan village, Tersakkan River bank , 22 May 2010, Kupriyanov and Mihajlov s. n. ( KUZ!) ; near the vicinity of Ulytau village , Ulytau Mountains, Aydarly area, 25 Jun 2017, Kupriyanov and Hrustaleva s. n. ( KUZ!) . Western Upland: Upper reaches of the Ulken-Kundyzdy River , 19 May 1959, Denisova 1031 ( MW 0832030 !) ; Ereymentau, hilly landscape ca. 6 km SSE of the village , 454 m a. s. l., 27 Jun 2014, Danihelka et al. s. n. ( BRNU 653564 ) ; Ereymentau, hilly landscape ca. 6 km SSE of the village , 446 m a. s. l., 27 Jun 2014, Chytrý and Hájek s. n. ( BRNU 653565 ) ; Topar, ca. 6 km E of the village , 30 Jun 2014, Danihelka et al. s. n. ( BRNU 653944 ) ; Buiraatau State National Nature Park, vicinity of the Belodymovka cordon, Mount Akdym , 7 May 2012, Hrustaleva et al. s. n. ( KUZ!) ; right bank of the Kairakty River , 22 May 1954, Lushpa s. n. ( AA!) ; near the Ostrovsky [Tarasovka] State Farm , 10 May 1954, Lushpa s. n. ( AA!) ; 20 km south of the Tomzyk grave , 8 Jun 1955, Isachenko et al. 2759 ( LE!) ; 90 km southeast of Karaganda , Karashoky Mountains, 30 May 1965, Vasilevich et al. 2042 ( LE!) ; Kyrgyz [Kazakh] cemetery near Akmolinsk , 22 May 1914, Ganeshin 246 ( LE!) ; near Kurgaldzhyn settlement , 8 May 1979, Sidorova s. n. ( LE!) ; vicinity of Korgalzhyn village , 29 Apr 2019, Kubentayev 6655 ( LE!; NUR!) ; vicinity of Karaegin village , 29 Apr 2019, Kubentayev 5955 ( NUR!; LE!) ; near Lake Kurgaldzhin, Karazhar area on the way to Kurgaldzhino settlement , 1 Jun 1976, Turganbekova s. n. ( AA!) ; 20 km south of Karaganda, 15 May 1969, Poschkurlat s. n. ( MW 0832019 !) ; 15 km south of Karaganda, May 1969, Poschkurlat s. n. ( MW 0832021 !) ; 12 km east of Zhana-Arka station , 1 May 1958, Rachkovskaya s. n. ( LE!) ; 1.5 km east of Zhana-Arka station , 28 Apr 1958, Rachkovskaya 5031 ( LE!) ; near the Zharkul-Shoindykul Plateau , 27 Apr 1959, Borisova 3 ( LE!) ; near Mount Bolshoy Kokshengir , 9 May 1959, Karamysheva s. n. ( LE!) .

Figures

Figure 9. Adonis volgensis in Kazakhstan A general habit B flower, front view C flower, dorsal view D aggregate fruit E, F leaves G petals H calyx. (Photos by S. Kubentayev).