Unknown localities and new species of flora Chechen Republic (North-Eastern Caucasus)

. The paper presents data on unknown localities and new species of flora of the Chechen Republic, which we discovered during expeditionary research in 2022-2023 on the territory of the Makazhoi semiarid basin. The study area belongs to arid ecosystems with unique species and coenotic diversity. Nearby there is a unique natural monument and tourist attraction - the alpine lake Kezenoy-Am. In recent years, the tourism industry has been actively developing here, which inevitably leads to anthropogenic transformation of the flora and increases the risk of losing the uniqueness, originality, and characteristic features of the flora and vegetation of mountain landscapes. For the first time, we provide information about the discovery of 11 new species, previously unknown for the republic, belonging to 9 genera and 8 families. In our research, we strive to emphasize the need for in-depth study and conservation of the biodiversity of these ecosystems for future generations.


Introduction
The North-Eastern Caucasus is considered an area of widespread development of mountain xerophytes.The most characteristic feature of the local vegetation is the altitudinal zonation and contrast of soil and vegetation cover, which are complicated by the lithological composition of the rocks, differences in slope exposure, moisture and heat supply.Original belt variants of mountain xerophytic vegetation are characteristic of arid plateaus, intermountain semiarid basins, and the southern slopes of ridges of intramountain structural-erosive depressions [1].
The Makazhoi (Khoisko-Makazhoi) semiarid basin gravitates to the mid-and highmountain regions of the North-Eastern Caucasus.Its territory is dominated by mountainsteppe, mountain-meadow-steppe, mountain-meadow and mountain-forest landscapes (depending on the hydrothermal regime of the site, slope exposure, terrain height, etc.).
From the north, the basin is bordered by the Kashkerlam ridge (up to 2807 m above sea level), in the south by the ridge.Abdalzabazul (up to 2605 m), in the west -the Khindoylam and Baskhoylam ridges (up to 2594 m), in the east -the Gagotytlyuri ridge (up to 2658 m).The central and eastern part of the basin is drained by the Akhkete River, whose waters are received in the southwest-west by the Ansalta River.The surface is complicated by local erosional forms and is composed of Upper Cretaceous limestones.
Erosion relief affects the differentiation of landscapes, local climate, and the spatial distribution of soil and vegetation cover.The landscape structure of the territory of the Makazhoi depression determines the altitudinal-expositional nature of mountain-slope tracts and their diversity.

Materials and research methods
According to botanical and geographical zoning, the basin under study belongs to the Chechen floristic region (Tersky region of the Greater Caucasus) of the Caucasus province [2].
The climatic features of the landscapes of the Makazhoi depression are influenced by the location of the territory in the very south of the temperate climatic zone, the altitude factor and the isolation from the south by the orographic barrier of the Main Caucasian and Side ranges, the dominance of the western transfer of air masses.The climate of the region is moderate continental.In the coldest month (January) the temperature is -2.5 --10 °C.Summer is moderately warm, with temperatures in July -14-20 °C.The average annual precipitation varies from 500 to 1000 mm, with a maximum in spring and summer.The hydrothermal coefficient is 2-2.2.Accordingly, the terrain affects the spatial redistribution of climatic elements and the differentiation of landscapes [3].
The basis of this publication is the materials of the authors' field research in 2022-2023 on the territory of the Makazhoi semiarid basin of the Vedeno region of the Chechen Republic.The message provides information about the growth of plants in this area, the presence of which has not previously been reported there.Previously, we also described the upland xerophytic communities of the Itum-Kalin arid basin [4], which have many common features with the landscapes under study.
The studies were carried out using generally accepted floristic methods.For each location and new finds, information about the biology and ecology of the species is provided, the state of their populations, geographic coordinates and absolute altitude above sea level are indicated (Figure 1).

Results and Discussions
For the study area, we described for the first time 11 new species, previously unknown for the republic, belonging to 9 genera and 8 families.The registration of finds was confirmed by the collection of the herbarium and photographic recording of the material.Data on the absence of these plant species in floristic lists are provided according to well-known classical scientific works [2,[5][6], covering the territory of the republic within its current borders.
List of plant species: Note.The species was not previously presented for the territory of the Chechen Republic.Indicated for the adjacent regions of Dagestan [7].

Fam. 2. Iridaceae Juss
Iris timofejewii Woronow.The right bank of the Akhkete River, ~ 0.5 km west of the village of Khoy, a ledge of a rocky outcrop.Composed of calcepetrophyton on fine earth.Coordinates: 42.751441, 46.127764; 1820 m above sea level m.Occurs occasionally (authors of the collection: M. Alikhadzhiev, V. Belous).
Endemic to the flora of Dagestan [8].Object of protection at the federal level [9].
Note.Previously, it was not given for the territory of the Chechen Republic [2,[5][6].The closest known habitats are confined to the landscapes of inland Dagestan [7].

Fam. 3. Hyacinthaceae Batsch
Muscari pallens (M.Bieb.)Fisch.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the Kashkerlam ridge, the right bank of the Akhkete River, a rocky roadside area.As part of upland xerophytic vegetation on gravelly-stony soils.Coordinates: 42.758658, 46.117035; 1840 m above sea level m.Occurs occasionally.(Authors of the collection: V. Belous, M. Alikhadzhiev).
Note.Previously, it was not given for the territory of the Chechen floristic region.They indicated for the elevated part of the Republic: the western tip of the Terek-Sunzha Upland (Bragun-Novolaksky floristic region) [2,[5][6].

Fam. 4. Fabaceae Lindl
Astragalus haesitabundus Lipsky.The right bank of the Akhkete River, ~ 1.0-1.5 km west of the village of Khoy, a near-terrace fragment of the landscape of an ancient valley.As part of a community of calcepetroxerophytes on cartilaginous and underdeveloped mountain-steppe soils underlain by parent rock.Very rare (coordinates: 42.753238, 46.121257; 1660 m above sea level).
Note.Previously it was not given for this area [2,[5][6].Inhabitant of a number of mountain-steppe regions of intramountain and foothill Dagestan, as well as semiarid basins of the North-Eastern and Central Caucasus [1].
Astragalus salatavicus Bunge.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the Kashkerlam ridge, the right bank of the Akhkete River, mountain-steppe landscapes, steppe terraces.Open insolated habitats on dry rocky and rubble-talus slopes, rocky outcrops.It is found as part of upland xerophytic vegetation on cartilaginous soils and products of destruction of the parent rock (limestone substrate).
Note.Previously, it was not given for the territory of the Chechen Republic [2,[5][6].Indicated for the neighboring region of Dagestan (Salatau ridge).We met it near lake Kezenoy-Am (spurs of the Kashkerlam ridge).

Fam. 5. Linaceae S.F.Gray
Linum alexeenkoanum E. Wulff.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the Kashkerlam ridge, the right bank of the Akhkete River, mountain-steppe landscapes.Open insolated habitats on dry rocky and rubble-talus slopes, rocky outcrops.It is found as part of upland xerophytic vegetation on cartilaginous soils and products of destruction of the parent rock (limestone substrate).Occurs sporadically (coordinates: 42.754994, 46.089488, 1760 m above sea level).
Note.Previously, it was not indicated for the Chechen floristic region [2].

Fam. 6. Dipsacaceae Juss
Cephalaria media Litv.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the Kashkerlam ridge, the right bank of the Akhkete River, mountain-steppe landscapes.Open insolated habitats on dry rocky and rubble-talus slopes, rocky outcrops.It is found singly in sparse groups of calcexeropetrophytes, less often -as part of open upland xerophytic communities of depleted species composition on cartilaginous soils underlain by parent rock (limestone substrate).Occurs sporadically (coordinates: 42.754994, 46.089488, 1760 m above sea level).Endemic to Dagestan [7].Note.Previously it was not indicated for the Chechen floristic region [2].Scabiosa gumbetica Boiss.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the ridge.Kashkerlam, right bank of the Akhkete River, mountain-steppe landscapes.Steep and flattened slopes of southern exposure.Xerolithophyton.As part of upland xerophytic vegetation on rocky outcrops, less often on cartilaginous mountain soils, outcrops of parent rock and products of its destruction (limestone).Occurs occasionally (coordinates: 42.754994, 46.089488, 1760 m above sea level).Authors of the collection: M. Alikhadzhiev, V. Belous.
The species is endemic to inland Dagestan, where it is apparently characteristic exclusively of its calcareous part.
Note.Previously not given for the territory of the Chechen Republic [ Note.Previously not given for the territory of mountainous Chechnya [2,[5][6].Indicated for the Braguno-Novolaksky floristic region of the elevated part of the Republic (western tip of the Terek-Sunzha Upland).

Fam. 8. Lamiaceae Lindl
Salvia canescens var.daghestanica (Sosn.)Menitsky.The right side of the basin, the southern macroslope of the Kashkerlam ridge, the right bank of the Akhkete River, mountain-steppe landscapes, limestone substrate.Open insolated habitats.As part of lithogenic shallow-contour complexes of upland-steppe formations with a depleted composition on a fine-earth substrate.Acts as an aspecting codominant of calcepetrophytic communities in the middle mountains.Occurs sporadically (authors of the collection: V. Belous, M. Alikhadzhiev).
Note.Previously it was not indicated for the Chechen floristic region [2].