ONTOGENETIC STRUCTURE OF <i>THYMUS JENISSEENSIS </i>(LAMIACEAE) COENOPOPULATIONS IN THE SOUTH SIBERIA
The objective of the study was the ontogenetic structure and status assessment of coenopopulations of <i>Thymus jenisseensis</i> Iljin, the subendemic in the steppes near the Yenisei River. <i>T. jenisseensis</i> has two life forms - vegetatively-semimobile dwarf subshrub and vegetatively-semimobile dwarf shrub. It obtain medicinal properties and is widely used in conventional and folk medicine. No data were available on the ontogenetic structure and assessment of status of <i>T. jenisseensis</i> in south Siberia. 5 coenopopulations of <i>T. jenisseensis</i> in different regions of south Siberia were studied. Routine methods (9; 10; 11; 12) were used. All coenopopulations were normal, most of them were incomplete. Coenopopulations inhabiting along the rivers on sandy substrate of pebbles or large clastic rocks, were maturating and in transition to mature type with left-hand spectrum. Under these conditions, the individuals and coenopopulations reached the optimal state. Coenopopulations in transition to aging and old ones with a bimodal and right-hand type of ontogenetic spectrum were formed on the southern slopes in petrophytic embodiments meadow steppe. The values of individual characteristics were less then populational ones. Life form of <i>T. jenisseensis</i> was dwarf shrub in the upper edge of the forest zone. Coenopopulations maintained by seed reproduction forming young coenopopulation with left-hand type of ontogenetic spectrum. <i>T. jenisseensis</i> dominated in the community but the values of individual characteristics were less then populational ones.