The Stolby National Nature Reserve is located at the border of between the northwestern offshoots of the Eastern Sayan mountains and the Central Siberian Plateau, where the plateau joins the West-Siberian Plain and the Altay-Sayan Mountains . Flora of the reserve includes 1037 vascular plants, 260 of which are mosses. 150 species are protected ones. Most of the forest is formed by pines (41%) and silver firs (28%). In lowlands predominant species are taiga and forest-steppe deciduous and light coniferous forests (8,1). In middle mountain zone light coniferous and dark coniferous forests prevail on mountain podzol soils.

 

When we walked along the ecological path we saw the following species of plants:

Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)- it is a conifer (30- 40 meters high) with a straight trunk and a spreading crown. Needles which are 5- 7 cm long grow in blocks of two.

White birch (Betula pendula) – it is a deciduous tree (30- 40 meters high). It's peculiarity is the colour of its trunk: it is white. It got its name because its branches hang vertically down. Its folk name a “weeping” birch.

Siberian larch (Betula pendula)- it is a unique tree. It is the only conifer which leaves fall down in autumn. Soft green needles grow in bunches of 20. Larch is well known for its solid wood. It has been used for house-building for many centuries.

Siberian fir (Abies sibirica) - it is a coniferwith a straight trunk 0,5--2,0 meters in diameter. Usually it is 30- 60 meters high but sometimes it is can reach 100 meters high. Multicipital brunches form conical crowns. Soft green needles are flat and have two whitish stripes.

 

Siberian Spruce (Picea obovata) - it is a coniferous tree with a straight trunk and conically shapes crown. It looks like a fir but its bark is shaggier and its needles are harder. The 1,5 до 2,5 cm needles grow separately. They are three-edged.