Salix herbacea L. (Salicaceae) in the Maramures massif of the Ukrainian Carpathians

Salix herbacea is a relict plant species related to the circumpolar arctic-alpine element of the Holarctic group. The aim of the study was to clarify the data on the distribution of S. herbacea within the Maramures massif of the Ukrainian Carpathians since this species is reported by different authors for the massif without specific geographical and habitats descriptions. Field studies were conducted in the Maramures massif on the slopes of Pip Ivan Marmarosky (1936 m a.s.l.) and Rapa (1872 m a.s.l.) mountains in 2017–2019. The S. herbacea distribution chorology was analyzed based on the inventory of UU, KW, KWHA, LW, Herbarium of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, and Herbarium of the Biology and Ecology Department of the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University collections. We have found S. herbacea confined to cliffs on a rocky tourist path between the peaks of Pip Ivan Marmarosky and Rapa mountains in the Rakhiv district of the Transcarpathian region (Zakarpattia oblast). Recently, these rocky formations were occupied by tall grasses such as Calamagrostis villosa, Poa pratensis and Festuca picturata. Meanwhile, the occurrence of Holarctic and Alpine-Carpathian species Vaccinium uliginosum, Potentilla aurea, Pulsatilla alba, Thamnolia vermicularis and Cetraria islandica substantially decreased. These changes were probably caused by a decrease in livestock grazing intensity during the past years in this area, as well as more favorable climate conditions for tall grass species. The exact location and phytocoenological conditions of the site, which is endangered and requires additional conservation measures, were outlined. The necessity of these measures to preserve the habitat of S. herbacea on the Maramures massif was stressed out.