- 12 - ranes, D.carthusiana, D.alexeeenkoana, D.dilatata, Thelypteris lim- basperma, Polystichum setiferum, P.lobatum, Phyllitis scolopend- rium, Blechnum spicant, and Athyrium filix-femina. Where the den- se understorey is absent, the composition of the herbaceous cover is richer. There are many species that blossom before the foliage of the tree canopy shadows the ground layer or at the transition time. There is also a tall-herb element which is more typical beyond the Mtirala. Among most interesting species of the forest one can mention Paeonia macrophylla, Primula megaseifolia, P.sibthorpii, Brunnera macrophylla, Ranunculus ampelophyllus, Pachypragma macrophyllum, Omphalodes cappadocica, Epimedium pubigerum, Cardamine spp., Hy- pericum bupleuroides, Calamintha grandiflora, Campanula lactiflo- ra, Symphytum asperum, Aruncus dioicus, Gentiana schistocalyx, Te- lekia speciosa, Cirsium hypoleucum, Valeriana allisariifolia. In some places the herbaceous cover is represented by stands of Trachystemon orientale with an admixture of Petasites albus,or of Featuca drimeia. Sometimes on the steep slopes the herbaceous cover is sparse and poor in species, and the shrub layer is poor- ly developed,too. In the upper reaches of the rivers flowing from Mt. Mtirala one finds Quercus pontica and Betula medwedewii which are rare species in the Caucasus. Excursion along the Kintrishi Gorge*) Right up to the city of Kobuleti, our route passes along the maritime lowlands and foothills, and we have the opportunity to get an impression of the present landscape of the Adjar coast where grow plantations of tea, citrus, tung-oil, bamboo, etc., in place of the original Colchic forest. On the way we can see an ancient historical monument - the "Peter" Fortress erected in the 6th century A.D.; this fort played a great role in the battles between the Byzantine and Persian armies for control of Lazika. *) The length of the route is 50 km; the elevation range is from 0 to 1000 m above sea-level.