I. General information

«Botanicheskii Zhurnal» (the Journal) publishes the results of studies in various areas of fundamental botany: theoretical papers and reviews; original research; systematic reviews; descriptions of new taxa and most interesting floristic findings; novel methods in botanical studies; articles on flora conservation; reviews on major Russian and international publications in botany; information on scientific events (symposia, conferences, etc.); personalia; information on the activities of the Russian Botanical Society (RBO), major botanical news and botanical travels; articles on the history of botany.

The Journal does not accept papers on the applied botany (plant resources, plant-growing, horticulture, etc.).

The Journal publishes articles of Russian and foreign authors in Russian or English. The contributions should offer new data and theoretical approaches. The papers that have been previously published are not accepted.

«Botanicheskii Zhurnal» is a single blind peer review journal.

The Journal has 12 issues per year. The articles are published free of charge. No royalties are paid to the authors.

All submitted articles should comply with the author guidelines. The manuscripts not meeting these requirements are not considered by the Editor. Manuscripts and illustrations are not returned to the authors.

Manuscripts are accepted for the review when the following materials and documents are provided:

  1. electronically submitted complete manuscript including tables and figures;
  2. one paper copy of the manuscript signed by all authors;
  3. exclusive license agreement in the work (scientific article) signed by each author;
  4. full names, affiliations, positions, home addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses for all authors (specified email addresses are published in the Journal). The corresponding author is to be specifically stated.

The manuscripts and other related files are submitted electronically via e-mail to: info@botjournal.ru.

Paper copy of the manuscript, materials and paper documents are to be addressed to:

Botanicheskii Zhurnal
St Petersburg publishing house Nauka
1 Mendeleevskaya line
St Petersburg, 199034
Russia

II. Scope of the Journal

«Botanicheskii Zhurnal» considers and publishes:

  • original papers and communications on the results of fundamental studies in botany;
  • systematic reviews, descriptions of the new taxa and floristic findings;
  • materials on flora conservation;
  • analytical reviews on fundamental issues of botany;
  • chronicles of botanical events (symposia, conferences, meetings, workshops, etc.);
  • reviews on major Russian and international publications in botany;
  • personalia (jubilees and dates, losses of science);
  • articles on the history of botany;
  • information on the activities of the Russian Botanical Society (RBO).

The articles should be written in clear and understandable manner, carefully checked for mistakes, proof-read and edited by the authors prior to submission.

III. Volume and structure of publication

The submitted manuscripts (including tables, references, figures and figure legends) should not exceed: review articles and taxonomic reviews – 35 pages, original research papers – 25 pages, articles in “Communications”, “Floristic finds”, and “Conservation of flora” sections – 15 pages, personalia, chronicles and book reviews – 10 pages. The figures should not exceed 25% of the size of the article.

Articles exceeding the recommended size are published by a special approval from the Editor.

The articles of the Russian-speaking authors submitted in English are supplemented with Russian text. Discrepancy between Russian and English versions are not allowed

If the primary language of the article is Russian, please, for the structure of publication, follow author guidelines (“Правила для авторов“) in Russian

If the primary language of the article is English, the submission should have the following structure:

  • copyright, given name initials and family names of the author(s);
  • title;
  • affiliation(s), affiliation address(es), email address(es) of the author(s). If the authors work in different institutions, use superscript numbers following author names and preceding addresses to associate each author and the appropriate address. Use asterisk (*) to identify corresponding author;
  • summary (author’s abstract, no subtitle);
  • keywords;
  • text (tables and illustrations must meet the requirements outlined below);
  • acknowledgements, list of funding sources (full official names of the funding agencies and programmes should be provided together with grant numbers);
  • references.

Template for the articles submitted in English:

THE BROWN ALGAE TO THE AQUATIC FLORA OF MAGADAN REGION

O. A. Mochalova1,*, A. A. Bobrov2,**

1 Institute of the Biological problems of the North FEB RAS

Portovaya str. 18, Magadan, 685000, Russia

2 I. D. Papanin Institute for biology of inland waters RAS

Borok, Nekouz distr., Yaroslavl reg., 152742, Russia

*e-mail: name@inbox.ru

**е-mail: name@ibiw.yaroslavl.ru

Received: (date is stated by the Editor)

Summary (no subtitle)

Keywords

Text (no subtitle)

Acknowledgements

References

Title should be concise and informative, clearly reflect the content. Plant names should be written out as italicized Latin binomial names (Genus, species), no authority stated, family (or other higher taxon, if necessary) is given in parenthesis.

Keywords include essential terms reflecting subject and purpose of the study, since these are used by abstracting and indexing services. It is not recommended to repeat words used in the title.

Summary in English is important as it should be able to fully and independently represent the subject and purpose of the article to the international audience. Summary is an essential component of indexation and citation in international scientific periodicals.

Summary should be:

  • informative (avoid generalizations)
  • original
  • comprehensive, factual and logical (reflect the purpose, methods, principal results and major conclusions of the research).
  • structured (following the article structure and logic)
  • written in clear scientific English
  • references and abbreviations should be avoided.

The body of the text of the article should provide information on the objects of the research named in accordance with Latin binomial system, its method, materials studied, results and conclusions. The text can be divided in sections. Section headings reflect the matter of the sections. The following sections of the manuscript are recommended:

Introduction (no subtitle). The section should set the topic of the research, demonstrate its importance and originality, present rationale and information gaps that the research is filling. This leads to clearly stated objective(s) for doing the research. The introduction should not be longer than 1/3 of the manuscript.

Materials and methods. The section should describe origin and volume of the studied materials, identify the research methods. If the methods are new or not common, they are to be explained in enough detail that readers can replicate the research. If needed, the maps of expedition routes and schemes for experiments are given.

Results. The section should objectively report the results of the study (including tables, figures and graphs), explaining them largely in the text.

Discussion. The section should provide description and comparison of the obtained results to what was known about the research problem from other publications, interpret the results, formulate the hypothesis models, etc.

Conclusion. The section should summarise the main results and conclusions of the study.

Articles may have other sections if related to the subject of the research.

IV. File requirements and text formatting

1. Files

Text, tables and images (drawings, photographs, graphs, diagrams, maps) are to be submitted to the Editor as separate files. It is not recommended to use archived files. Self-extracting *.exe-files are not allowed.

Names of the figure files should contain the author’s family name and figure number. Each figure should come as a separate file.

2. Text

The manuscript is submitted as Word *doc. or *.rtf file. The document should be in 12pt Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing (no extra spacing before or after paragraphs) left-aligned or fully justified with 2.5 cm margins all around.

The main body of the text is typed with 1.25 cm paragraph indent; title, abstract and keywords should begin flush left (no paragraph indent).

The manuscript should have consecutive page numbering at the bottom right-hand corner.

The formatted text should not contain:

  • any text styles other than “Normal” (italicizing, bolding, etc. should be done manually)
  • extra word spacing
  • interspaced text
  • hyphenation
  • hyperlinks
  • macros
  • automatic bulleting and numbering

All physical quantities should be expressed in SI units. Use the period, not a comma, as a decimal separator.

All floristic findings should be provided with exact geographical information (including coordinates). The subjects of the Russian Federation should be named according to the chapter 3 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

New taxa descriptions and other nomenclature changes (new combinations, statuses, names, etc) are to be provided in accordance with the latest version of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants.

New taxa descriptions (diagnoses) are given in English (for articles submitted in English) and in English and Russian (for articles submitted in Russian).

Latin plant names including authors’ names should be standardized according to International Plant Names Index (IPNI) or World Flora Online.

Herbaria acronyms should be cited according to Index Herbariorum.

Taxon names below the rank of family are italicized, authors’ names are given in Roman type. Author(s) of taxon names must be provided when the scientific name of any plant species is first mentioned. Alternatively, the names may be cited once in a suitable table in which all the taxa used in the paper are listed. Syntaxa names are given in Roman type.

All abbreviations should be explained except for the commonly recognized ones. Names of the institutions, organizations, etc., should be given in full at the first mention followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Thereafter the abbreviation can be used alone

The articles describing new taxa of the rank of species or below, are accepted when type materials (holotype or isotype) are received by the Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Instiute RAS (LE). Articles on new floristic findings are accepted when representative samples are received by the Journal.

The samples should be sent to:

Botanicheskii Zhurnal
2 Prof. Popova str.,
St Petersburg, 197022
Russia

Upon the approval by the Editor scanned materials of the high quality could be submitted.

3. Tables

Tables should be created using the Microsoft Word table tool and saved as *.doc files and numbered consecutively throughout the paper in the order they first appear in the text (Table 1, Table 2), unless there is only one table. Each table should have its unique title. All abbreviations and symbols used in table should be defined in footnote. Table titles, column and row headings as well as cell data and footnotes are given both in Russian and English. The words repeating in cells are replaced with quotation marks.

In a hard copy of the manuscript, the desired position of each table should be marked on the left margin (after the first mention in the text).

Data presented in tables should not be duplicated in the text.

4. Figures

Figures (such as graphs, drawings, photographs, maps and charts) must be consecutively numbered in Arabic numerals in the order they first appear in the text (Fig. 1, Fig. 2), unless there is only one figure. Photo plates are numbered with Roman numerals (Pl. I, Pl. II). Each figure should have a caption both in Russian and English. Details marked on the figures are labelled with numbers or letters and explained in captions. The microphotographs and drawings of plants and plant details should have internal scale bars.

All figure captions are placed on a separate page and submitted as a part of a manuscript. Hard copy illustrations should be identified on the back in light pencil with the author’s family name, figure number and top of the image. In a hard copy of the manuscript, desired position of each figure should be marked on the left margin (after the first mention in the text).

Images should be submitted as *.tif files of minimum 300 dpi (greyscale photographs or colour drawings) or 600 dpi (for line and halftone drawings) or as *.jpg level 10 or higher. For vector graphs and diagrams use *.eps or *.cdr formats.

Maximum permitted size of figures and photo plates is 17.5 × 20 cm.

Photographs should be provided in a print quality at the best resolution available as they are not enhanced by the journal production staff. Low quality photographs or carbon copies are not accepted.

Charts and diagrams should not duplicate the tables.

The maps should be provided with grid, scale-bar, indicated settlements and/or geographical features. The large-scale maps may have small-scale inserts. The maps should be on the white background with distinct black unbroken lines.

Graph captions should clearly indicate X and Y axes labels and units.

Mathematical formulae should be typed using the MS Word Equation formula editor. All symbols should be explained immediately after the formula.

5. References

References cited in the text (even if the original language is Russian) are given in parentheses in Latin script only, e.g. “as was indicated by V.L. Komarov (Komarov, 1909)”, “as was previously indicated (Komarov, 1909)”; if a direct quotation from an author is used, it should be enclosed in quotation marks and give the page number(s) that the quotation was taken from (Komarov, 1909: 8-9). In case of the Latin alphabet origin, write the names as they are originally spelled. First and middle name initials should be given before the name, when it is first mentioned in the text. If there are more than two authors, use the first author’s name followed by ‘et al.’

All references are cited in chronological order of publication e.g.: (Schaft, 1931; Alekseev, 1987; Romanov et al., 1996; Sravnitelnaya…, 1999; Santesson et al., 2004; Afonina, Tubanova, 2009).

All references mentioned in the text should be listed in “Список литературы” and “References” (for articles in Russian) and in “References” (for articles in English). The list of references should only include works that are cited in the text.

If several works of the same author published in the same year are cited both in the text and in References, they are identified by lowercase Latin letters added after the year e.g.: (Gordon, 2000a, b, c).

If the primary language of the article is Russian, examples of literature citing see in “Правила для авторов“

Literature citing in “References” section.

Each bibliographical entry is stated as follows: the names of all authors with initials, year of publication, title of the article, title of the journal, separated from the article title by the emdash (—), volume, number or issue in parentheses (abbreviations “T.”, “Vol.”, “N.”, “Iss.”, etc. are elided) followed by the colon and page numbers (from – to). When an article has DOI (digital object identifier), it should be added at the end of the entry.

Titles of the periodicals are cited by the standards set in the second edition of Botanico-Periodicum-Huntianum.

Bibliographical entries for nonperiodical editions should state the title of the edition, the year of publication, city, and total number of pages (if the whole book is cited) or the first and last page numbers of the contribution in a collective volume. In this case, title of the book is placed after the title of the article or chapter and preceded by the remark «In:» (see examples).

The references should be arranged in alphabetical order.

References is a list, where all Russian and foreign literature cited in the text is mentioned. If an article, originally published in Cyrillic, has a published alternative title in Latin script, authors’ names are transliterated and title is given as in publication. If there is no previously published transliteration available, authors’ names, title of the article, full title of the journal or other periodical, or a complete title of a book or a collective volume are transliterated. After the title of the article, translation of the title is given in square brackets. For the nonperiodical editions the full name of the city of publication should be provided. Foreign materials originally published in non-Latin scripts are given in English translation. The language of the original publication is stated at the end of reference in parentheses e.g. (In Russ.). The year of publication is given after the authors’ names.

For Russian transliteration follow this chart:

а — a р — r
б — b с — s
в — v т — t
г — g у — u
д — d ф — f
е — e, ye (в начале слов, а также после
гласных и Ь, Ъ: yelnik, izmereniye, syezd) 		х — kh
ё — e, ye (в начале слов, а также после
гласных и Ь, Ъ: obyem, vodoyem) 		ц — ts
ж — zh ч — ch
з — z ш — sh
и — i щ — shch
й — y ъ — ‘
к — k ы — y
л — l ь — ‘ (sel’skokhozyaistvennyi)
м — m э — e
н — n ю — yu
о — o я — ya
п — p  

Combination of «кс» letters is transliterated as «ks», not «x».

Reference patterns for “References” section

Articles in periodicals

Afonina O. M. 2011. The first record of Leptodontium flexifolium (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) for Arctic Alaska. — Novosti Sistematiki Nizshikh Rastenii. 44: 267–275. (In Russ.)

Andreev M. P., Afonina O. M., Potemkin A. D. 1993. Bryophytes and lichens of the Komsomolets and Bolshevik islands (The Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago). — Botanicheskii Zhurnal. 78(2): 69–79. (In Russ.)

Popov M. G. 1948. Rod Erigeron v gorakh Srednei Asii [Genus Erigeron in the mountains of Middle Asia]. — Trudy Botanicheskogo Instituta Akademii Nauk SSSR. 1(7): 7–44. (in Russ.)

Rassadina K. A. 1949. Species et formae novae Cetraria. — Botanicheskie Materialy Otdela Sporovykh Rastenii Botanicheskogo Instituta im. V. L. Komarova Akademii Nauk SSSR. 6: 9–14. (In Russ. and Latin).

Tamamschan S. G. 1944. K sistematike molochaev Zakavkazya [On the systematics of Transcaucasian spurges]. — Doklady Akademii Nauk Armyanskoi SSR. 1–2: 43–47. (in Russ.)

Monographs, chapters and articles in collective volumes

Grossheim А. А. 1940. Flora Kavkaza [Flora of Caucasus]. T. 2. Baku. 284 p. (In Russ.)

Red data book of nature of the Leningrad region. Vol. 2. Plants and Fungi. 2000. St. Petersburg. 672 . (In Russ. and Eng.)

Fizicheskaya geografiya SSSR. 1966. [Physical Geography of the USSR]. Moscow. 848 p. (in Russ.)

Antonov A. S. 2006. Genosystematica rastenii [Plant Genotypes Systemics]. Moscow. 293 p. (in Russ.)

Komarov V. L. Sem. Kiparisovye — Cupressaceae F. W. Neger. 1934. In: Flora SSSR. T. 1. Moscow; Leningrad. P. 173–195. (In Russ.)

Articles and conference abstracts

Mikhailova M. A. 2015. Reviziya tipovykh obraztsov Sibiri i Dalnego Vostoka v Gerbarii BIN RAN [Revision of type specimens from Siberia and the Far East in the Herbarium of Komarov Botanical Institute]. In: Botanicheskiye kollektsii — natsionalnoye dostoyaniye Rossii. Penza. P. 123–124. (In Russ.)

Zaugolnova L. B., Platonova E. A. 1999. Podhody k opredeleniyu korennykh tipov lesa [Approaches to the definition of indigenous forest types]. In: Korennyie lesa taezhnoy zony Evropy: sovremennoe sostoyanie i problemy sokhraneniya. Materialy mezhdunarodnoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii. Petrozavodsk. P. 9–16. (In Russ.)

Deposited scientific publications

Ryabkova К. А., Makarova I. I. 1991. Lishainiki Subpolarnogo i Polarnogo Urala [Lichens of Subpolar and Polar Urals]. Sverdlovsk. 24 p. Deposited in VINITI 31.01.91, N 2504–В91. (In Russ.)

Dissertations and authors’ abstracts of the dissertations

Afonina О. М. 2000. Brioflora Chukotki [Bryoflora of Chukotka]: Diss. … Doct. Sci St. Petersburg. 385 p. (In Russ.)

Lazkov G. A. 1994. Semeistvo Caryophyllaceae Juss. vo flore Kirgizii [Family Caryophyllaceae Juss. in the flora of Kirghizia]: Abstr. … Diss. Cand. Sci.]. St. Petersburg. 16 p. (In Russ.)

Internet resources

IUCN. 2010. The IUCN red list of threatened species, version 2010.4. IUCN Red List Unit, Cambridge U.K. http://www.iucnredlist.org/ (accessed: 19 May 2011).

Index Fungorum. 2008–2011. http://www.indexfungorum.org

Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 27 Feb 2014 http://www.tropicos.org

Responsibility for the completeness and accuracy of bibliographical references lies with the authors.

V. Editorial processing

The manuscripts complying with the scope of journal and accepted by the Editor are registered and sent for external review. The authors may include the names of people with whom they have a conflict of interests. The reviewed articles are emailed back to the authors for revision and improvement.

When revision of the manuscript is required, the proof of the manuscript including response to the referees’ comments must be returned within 3 months of receipt of the proof, otherwise the initial date of the registration is changed for the actual date the revision is received back. The decision to accept or reject a manuscript is made by the Editor considering the referees’ opinion and taking into account scientific importance and novelty of the presented materials.

The studies on the most current issues of botany or containing novel information can be published out of turn by a decision of the Editor.

The Editor of “Botanicheskii Zhurnal” reserves the right to shorten and edit the manuscript.

Galley proofs are sent to the corresponding author as *.pdf file by e-mail. Proofs should be checked for printing mistakes and promptly returned (within 48 hours) by email. Only typesetting errors should be corrected. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication are not allowed

If an article is rejected the authors will be notified.