Rorippa austriaca (Crantz) Besser, 1822

Rorippa austriaca (Crantz) Besser, 1822 View in CoL

Rorippa austriaca (Crantz) Besser View in CoL , Enum. Pl. Volh.: 103 (1822) — Nasturtium austriacum Crantz View in CoL , Stirp. Austr. Fasc. 1: 15 (1762).

Distribution

Native distribution

Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (including the zones of deciduous forest, forest steppe and steppe: Jonsell (1973)), Asia Minor, Caucasus, Western Siberia (adjacent to Europe), Central Asia (north-western Kazakhstan).

Secondary distribution

Western and Northern Europe, southern Siberia, Central Asia (mountains), East Asia, North America.

Distribution in Central Asia

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The distribution is mapped on the basis of herbarium specimens and published observations (Fig. 20 View Figure 20 ).

In Central Asia, the species was first recorded as alien in Tajikistan, where a small, but established population was found in Dushanbe by Dorofeev (1984). The population, recorded in 1982 in the botanical garden of the Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, was found along an irrigation ditch; its age was estimated below 10 years.

In Kyrgyzstan, the species was found for the first and only time in Bishkek, as a weed of ornamental cultivation in 2009 ( Lazkov et al. 2011).

In Uzbekistan, it was first found on a ruderal lawn in Tashkent in 1992 ( German et al. 2013). Its continuous occurrence on city lawns has been subsequently confirmed in 2015 ( Plantarium 2024).

In Kazakhstan, the species is native in the steppe zone of the north-western regions of the country ( Vasilieva 1961, Jonsell 1973); its easternmost limit coincides with the Mūğaljar Mts. (the southern extension of the Urals). As an alien, it was recorded once (Fig. 21 View Figure 21 ) from a lawn in Şymkent Town in 2023 ( Ebel et al. 2024).

Distribution in Kyrgyzstan

Northern Tian-Shan (Fig. 22 View Figure 22 ).

Rorippa austriaca was found in Bishkek in 2009, recorded on a " lawn " (actually, among ornamental roses in block planting) in front of the main building of the Academy of Sciences in Bishkek ( Lazkov et al. 2011).

Ecology

In the native distribution area, the species occurs in meadow and forb steppes, along watercourses or in temporarily inundated places. In the secondary distribution area, it is found on cultivated lands, in ruderal places and on roadsides, usually in connection with a good water supply.

Biology

Perennial, with short thickened rhizomes.

Introduction to Kyrgyzstan

Period of introduction

Neophyte.

As evident from the first records in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the introduction of Rorippa austriaca to Central Asia has started in the late 1970 s - early 1980 s ( Dorofeev 1984, German et al. 2013). The first observation of this species in Kyrgyzstan was dated by the post-Soviet period, by 2009 ( Lazkov et al. 2011), but the actual introduction period may have started slightly earlier.

Pathways of introduction

Transport – Contaminant: Contaminant nursery material.

All observations in Central Asia have been made on cultivated lawns or flower beds ( Dorofeev 1984, Lazkov et al. 2011, German et al. 2013, Ebel et al. 2024). These observations strongly indicate that the species was introduced with contaminated garden soil, transported with planting material and with contaminated seeds.

The species has a potential to spread along irrigation ditches, but no secondary dispersal has been observed in Kyrgyzstan.

Source of introduction

Introduced with ornamental plants via East European and then international nurseries.

Invasion status

Casual (ephemeral, extinct).

The only population registered in 2009 was ephemerous; it has been removed by management soon thereafter (Lazkov, pers. obs.). Further records are expected elsewhere and in the future, but not observed, likely due to the shortage of botanical observations.

Evidence of impact

Agriculture - minor impact (minor garden weed of infrequent occurrence). Native ecosystems - no impact (restricted to agricultural and urbanised areas). Urban areas - minor impact (rarely occurs in recreation places).

Trend

Unknown, but no apparent increase observed.