File:Contributions from the Botanical Laboratory, vol. 12 (1934) (20688436015).jpg

Title: Contributions from the Botanical Laboratory, vol. 12
Identifier: contributionsfro12univ (find matches)
Year: 1934 (1930s)
Authors: University of Pennsylvania. Botanical Laboratory; University of Pennsylvania. Morris Arboretum
Subjects: Botany; Botany
Publisher: Philadelphia : (s. n. )
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY Vol. XXII I.Plate XV
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William Sbipriz 157 <i Mr /^'M^ <^y» Phot. I. Mestia; with Picea forests in background. Phot. 2. The Valley of the Tuibri (at the base of the Latral Dash) near Mestia; Picea forest in background; subalpine high grass with specimens of giant Heracleum (maximum lo ft.) in foreground. Phot. 3. Main Caucasian Range appearing above a forest of Acer, Fag us and Quercus, the last trees before the subalpine fields. The Zagari Ridge at Mestia is one of the few localities in the Svanetian valley where pine occurs in any abundance. The conifer does not, however, dominate the arboreal vegetation of the Ridge. This honour is held by Populus tremula. The scarcity of pine in Svanetia is due to competition, which is especially keen because of heavy precipitation everywhere, as demonstrated by the luxuriance of plant life and the successful agriculture of Svanetia in com- parison with the relative barrenness of Balkaria. (Svanetia supplies Balkaria with hay.) The Latral Dash is an unglaciated peak on the upper Tuibri River at the foot of the Chalaat and Leksur glaciers; it is reached in an easy two-hour walk up the left bank of the Tuibri from Mestia. As it is part of the Main Cau- casus Range, it rises to much greater heights than does the Zagari Ridge^ which we have just been considering. The slopes of the Latral Dash support a luxuriant high grass association (PL XV, phot. 2), above which is an excellent growth of Krummholz" with alpine fields. Berberis, Crataegus, Betula, Ilex aquifolium, and a few scrub pines and spruces constitute most of the bush and small tree vegetation along the river. Before emerging from the low woods the mosses Dicranoweisia crispula and Pogonatum urnigerum were collected. At 1600 m., near the foot of the glacier where the river has its source, the steep ascent of the Latral Dash begins. The first plant to greet one in the prolific growth of high grass is Campanula lactiflora, 1 m. high, with its large, pale blue flowers. It is exceedingly abundant, as is also a Papaver with blossoms of rich orange colour. Higher up, the giant weed Heracleum is again met with, standing here fully 2 m. high, with stalks 3-4 cm. in diameter. (There are several mammoth species of this genus, all unidentified.) The following are the plants of the highgrass community collected between 1600 and 1800 m. on the slopes of the Latral Dash. Athyrium filix femina Aspidium lonchitis Crocus suwarowianus Betula pubescens Polygonum alpinum Silene commutata S. compacta Dianthus liboschitzianus Aconitum nasutum Papaver oreophilum Sedum involucratum S. maximum S. pallidum Aruncus Sylvester Rosa sp. Alchemilla acutiloba Trifolium ambiguum Lotus ciliatus Vicia variabilis Lathyrus pratensis Geranium robertianum Euphorbia iberica Acer trautvetteri Epilobium montanum Chamaenerium palustre Astrantia helleborifolia Chaerophyllum aureum Monotropa hypopitys Vaccinium vitis idaea Heracleum sp. Myosotis alpestris Symphytum asperum Betonica grandiflora Valeriana alliariaefolia Knautia heterotricha Campanula lactiflora C. latifolia Jasione sp. Pyrethrum macrophyllum Senecio nemorensis S. platyphyllus Mulgedium albanum Lapsana grandiflora At 1700 m. there starts a low, bushy growth of the maple, Acer trautvetteri, 2-3 m. tall. Somewhat higher, the maple is replaced by a similar shrubby growth of Fagus orientalis. This tree, with its varietal form, F. microphylla, grows throughout Svanetia, forming large trees, though here at 1750 m. it is typical" Knieholz." It often outclimbs all other trees in the Southern Caucasus. SEIFRIZ—Sketches of the Vegetation of some Southern Provinces of Soviet Russia. VIL Plant-life of Svanetia, Trans-Caucasus Pace p. 157

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