- 15 - small gorges of numerous tributaries of the Kintrishi River are no less significant than the dominants. The mixed forest becomes a hornbeam or an alder wood because of the felling of some tree species. The understorey of the mixed forest is rich and distinctive. In addition to the species of evergreen shrubs mentioned above, one can also find Daphne ponti- ica, Phillyrea medwedewii and Ruscus ponticus in some places; as to deciduous species, Frangula alnus, Corylus avellana, Rhododend- ron luteum, Staphylea pinnata, Viburnum opulus, Vaccinium arcto- staphylos, and Salix caprea are common here, as well as species of Euonymus and Hypericum. Some of the plants mentioned above can also be found in the smaller shady gorges in the form of trees. Buxus colchica does not penetrate deep into the forest, but it forms a distinctive dark background along the river and its tributaries. There are different combinations of the undergrowth due to the non-homoge- neous distribution of the shrubs in the mixed forest. As to lianas, here the most significant species are Hedera colchica and Smilax excelsa; they impart a peculiar appearance to the forest. The first one loves shade and grows in the depth of the forest where it climbs up gigantic trees; the second plant can be found usually on the edges of the forest. You can also find Lonicera caprifolium, Clematis vitalba, Periploca graea and others everywhere in the forest; the species of Rubus hirtus and R. caucasicus usually grow in clearings and at the edges of the forest. The Colchic forest is not rich in herbaceous species, which can be explained partially by the exuberant growth of evergreen shrubs. Shade resistant and moisture-loving herbaceous species predominate, and some of them grow on trees covered with mosses, for example, Polypodium australe, P.vulgare, Phyllitis scolopend- rium, Blechnum spicant, Asplenium trichomanes, Pteris cretica, Luzula forsteri, Cardamine impatiens, Geranium robertianum, and Oxalis acetosella. Here one can see sometimes also shrub species of Rubus, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium arctostaphylos, and even trees (e.g., Carpinus caucasica). If the tree stand of mixed forests is not dense, the herba-