The age structure of a Cypripedium guttatum (Orchidaceae) population in the Tyumen Region, Western Siberia

Despite active botanical studies around the world, there are still regions that lack data about the distribution, ecology, and biology of some threatened plants. During the field surveys in 2021, the new location of a threatened plant, C. guttatum (Orchidaceae), has been found in the Tyumen Region. The age structure of the found population has been studied by measuring morphometric traits (plant height, number of leaves, size (length, width), and number of veins of the second leaf, and, for generative individuals, the number of flowers and (if any) fruits, and fruit set) and classifying C. guttatum individuals to several age classes (juvenile, immature, virginile (mature vegetative), generative). The obtained results demonstrated that the found orchid population is assigned to C. guttatum f. albоstriatum nom. prov. Age structure of C. guttatum population (j:im:v:g: 1%:5%:64%:30%) is characterized by dominance of vegetative individuals. The obtained data on C. guttatum population serve as a starting point for further population studies in both Tyumen Region and the entire Western Siberia. The establishment and extension of a plan for long-term population studies can allow us to make an unbiased evaluation of the conservation status of C. guttatum using methods of the IUCN Red List assessment.