ON THE USE OF LEGUMES: ETHNOBOTANY, PHYTOCOENOLOGY, AND PRODUCTIVITY

russe. Legume family members have valuable fodder, ornamental, food, honey-bearing, medicinal and technical useful properties. A number of species are used in agriculture as green manure. In Azerbaijan, they are important components of pastures. The research was carried out by the methods generally accepted in phytocenology and ethnobotany. Fodder, ethnobotanical and phytocenotic properties of legumes (Fabaceae Lindl.) in some regions of Azerbaijan were examined. During conducted research in Nakhichevan AR (Ordubad, Julfa and Babek administrative districts) 101 species were registered, in the southeast Azerbaijani part of Great Caucasus (Khizi administrative district) 26 species, in Talysh (Lerik and Yardimli administrative districts) 90 species, in Azerbaijani north-east of Minor Caucasus 96 species, in steppe plateau of Bozgyr 78 species. The survey of the local population has established the ethnobotanical spectrum of species: fodder 95%, oil-bearing 65%, medicinal 34%, food 40%, 45%, and sideranium 25%. The leading place in the number of species is occupied by genera Astragalus L., Astracantha Podlech, Lathyrus L., Vicia L. The range of distribution of legumes covers from lowland areas to the subalpine belt. It was ascertained that productivity of pulses in Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is 13,01 centners/ha, in the north-east of Minor Caucasus 24,41 centners/ha, in the southeast of Great Caucasus 7,14 centners/ha, in Talysh 14,18 centners/ha and in steppe part of Bozgyr 9,5 centners/ha. Information is given about medicinal and other useful properties of some representatives and ways of their use by the local population. The taxonomic list of the most valuable representatives is presented.