Rare and protection needed species of petrophytic steppes of the Southern and Middle Urals

The paper reveals a rare component of stony steppes of the South and Central Ural Mountains of the rare and needing protection species to their different types. The authors establish that 154 rare and needing protection species, relicts and endemics grow on the stony steppes of the region. That makes 20,8% of all coenoflora. Among them 18 species are included in the Red List of the Russian Federation, 98 species are included in the regional Red Lists. The authors also revealed 34 endemic species relating, mainly to group of rocky and steppes endemics. The relic flora contains 42 species. The most part of them (25 species) belongs to the Holocene, the group of the pleystocene relicts is presented by 13 species. The analysis of coenoflora allowed to reveal features of rare species dividing into the communities that characterize different types of habitats. The greatest share of rare species is noted in communities of the South forest-steppe zone on calcareous substrates (more than 30% – 81 species). The obtained data confirm a high nature protection importance of the petrophytic steppes of the Southern and Central Urals and can form a basis for the complex strategy of protection of these communities.