Article

Tbilisi area is located in the central part of South Caucasus at the intersection of various floristic centres. The aim of the article is to clarify composition of dendroflora of Tbilisi area, analysis it’s systematic and chorological structure and establish florogenetic connections. 166 species of trees and shrubs, which belong to 74 genera and 41 families, were recorded. The leading families by the ratio of species are: 1. Rosaceae – 32.6%, 2. Salicaceae – 7.2%, 3. Fabaceae – 4.8%, 4. Sapindaceae – 4.2%, 5. Ulmaceae – 3.6%, 6-7. Cupressaceae, Rhamnaceae – 3.0- 3.0%. Based on composition and proportion of chorotypes, several directions of florogenetic connection are identified: (1) Boreal, (2) Mediterranean, (3) South-West Asian, (4) Euxinean and (5) Hyrcanean. Dominance of local (Caucasian) species is sharply expressed (19.3%). The composition and proportion of chorotypes points, that forming of dendroflora of Tbilisi area was going through the “struggle” of boreal and Ancient Mediterranean floristic centers. On the background of powerful competition, great number and different bioecological composition of local species emphasize originality of flora of Tbilisi area. We suppose that forming process of dendroflora of Tbilisi area was going on during a long period that not so small number of relict and endemic species speaks about.