Named for the family of scientists, including Aleksej Pavlovich Fedchenko (1844–1873), outstanding Russian naturalist and geographer known for his exploration of central Asia; his wife Ol’ga Aleksandrovna Fedchenko (1845–1921), prominent Russian botanist and plant collector, pioneer in the study of Turkestan flora; and their son Boris Alekseevich Fedchenko (1872–1947), distinguished botanist and geographer, prolific writer, and one of the initiators and most active contributors to the multi-volume “Flora of the U.S.S.R.” (M 12971) _ _.