In the artificial steppe phytocenoses of the Donetsk Botanical Garden, the ontogenesis of Polygala cretacea Kotov is simple, it lasts for one seed generation. Eight ontogenetic groups of plants have been identified. Plants die in the old generative and subsenile stages. Polygala cretacea has a complete shoot development cycle annually, producing viable seeds and self-seeding. Introduced populations of this species are normal, have one-peak, centered ontogenetic spectra and stable density of individuals, distributed contagiously in space. According to the «Δ–ω» classification, the populations are maturing and mature. These are definitive systems capable of self-sustaining by seeds. P. cretacea forms a reliable reserve of rarity gene pool and has good prospects for ex situ conservation.

Ibatulina Yu.V., Kozub-Ptitsa V.V., Orlataya M.L.