Rare species of medicinal plants of the Ritsa Relict National Park (Republic of Abkhazia)

Abstract

In order to determine the resource potential of the natural phytocenoses of the Republic of Abkhazia, the study of medicinal plants of the flora of the Ritsa Relict National Park - a unique natural complex that occupies an important place all over the Caucasus and the entire chain of mountains of Eurasia, part of Colchis. The diversity of the geological structure, topography, soils, climate and hydrological conditions caused the formation of a unique natural complex with endemic and relict (West Abkhazian) plant species and their communities on the territory. Today, the RRNP flora includes 1201 species, among which 179 plant species from 64 families are classified in various categories of rarity. Medicinal plants used in official and folk medicine are represented by 115 species from 93 genera and 48 families, which is 10% of the species diversity of the park. Among the medicinal plant of the RRNP, there are 17 relicts and endemic species ( Alnus barbata C.A. Mey., Chiastophyllum oppositifolium (Ledeb.) Berger, Convallaria transcaucasica Utkin, Cyclamen abchasicum (Medw.) Kolak., Daphne pontica L., Digitalis schischkinii Ivanina, Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky, Erythronium caucasicum Woronow, Hedera colchica (K. Koch) K. Koch, Hypericum xylosteifolium (Spach) N. Robson, Ilex colchica Pojark., Laurocerasus officinalis Roem., Sanicula europaea L., Solanum persicum Willd., Swertia iberica Fisch. & Mey., Tamus communis L., Tilia caucasica Rupr.). This report provides their ecological and biological characteristics, morphological description and medicinal use.