NEW ASSOCIATION OF SUBALPINE TALL HERBACEOUS COMMUNITIES IN RITSA RELIC NATIONAL PARK (REPUBLIC OF ABCHAZIA)
The results of geobotanical investigations of tall herbaceous semiruderal communities in Ritsa Relic National park are presented. Communities are allocated in new association Veronico filiformi-Adenostyletum macrophyllae. Communities of this association are widespread at an altitude of 1631-2090m above sea level. The association represents typical convergent communities which represent initial stages of pasturable digression of subalpine meadows and fields. The floristic structure of communities, diagnostic species, features of distribution and habitat are discussed. The results of comparison of floristic structure and ecological features of habitats of communities with the analogues widespread in other regions of Western Caucasus - the Teberda State Biospheric Nature Reserve and Sochi National Park are given. It is demonstrated that there is rather big group of common species. There are locations of 7 rare species in studied communities.