Ecophysiological Parameters of Medicinal Plant Filipendula vulgaris in Diverse Habitat Conditions

Simple Summary Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris Moench) is a perennial plant (hemicryptophyte), growing on xerothermic grasslands Festuco-Brometea and changing-wet Molinia meadows in the Eurasian area. Due to the production of active substances, the species is used in folk medicine and phytotherapy. This study includes determining which of the two different habitats occupied by F. vulgaris creates better conditions for its growth and development. Selected physiological parameters of dropwort plants (PSII activity, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide content, and biomass), the occurrence of mycorrhiza, and soil characteristics were investigated. Soil analysis showed a higher content of nutrients in grasslands, and a higher content of heavy metals in meadows. Plants of F. vulgaris growing in the wet meadows achieved a significantly lower mass compared to plants growing in grasslands. The colonization degree of F. vulgaris by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) from both stands oscillated around high values; dropwort formed the Arum type of mycorrhiza. A much higher content of chlorophylls was observed in plants from grasslands. F. vulgaris showed different photosynthetic activity depending on the habitat. Based on chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, higher activity was found in plants from grasslands, compared to plants from meadows, but in specimens from grasslands, there are symptoms of damage to the PSII system. The analyses carried out showed that better conditions for growth and physiological activity of this species are probably associated with grasslands on a calcareous substrate, although the irradiance stress of excess light is visible, manifested, e.g., by little dysfunction of photosynthetic structures. This study attempts to determine which of the habitats occupied by Filipendula vulgaris creates better conditions for its growth and development. Selected physiological parameters-PSII activity, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide content as well as biomass, the occurrence of mycorrhiza, and soil characteristics-were investigated. Grassland soils had a higher content of macronutrients and a lower concentration of heavy metals. The degree of colonization of F. vulgaris by AMF (Arum type) oscillated around high values in both types of stands. Plants growing on xerothermic grasslands achieved much better fluorescence parameters than those collected from meadows. Similar results were obtained from the analysis of chlorophyll content. The destabilization degree of cell membranes was significantly higher in plants collected in meadows than in grasslands. Biomass analysis showed higher values of these parameters in grassland plants. In the case of the parameters of fluorescence emission, plants growing on grasslands achieved significantly lower values than plants collected from meadows. The analyses carried out showed that better conditions for growth and physiological activity of F. vulgaris are probably associated with grasslands on a calcareous substrate.