Abies nordmanniana and Picea orientalis forests from the Colchic region (Western Caucasus) and new concept of Euxine dark coniferous forests classification in the Braun-Blanquet system

A classification system of the Colchic spruce-fir forests (the Western Caucasus) was developed using Brawn-Blanquet method. Two new associations Dryopterido caucasicae–Abietetum nordmannianae ass. nov., Pruno laucerasi–Abietetum nov. and alliance caucasicae–Abietion all. were proposed after comparative syntaxonomic analysis dark coniferous from Euxine province. Diagnostic species are Acer pseudoplatanus, Actaea spicata, Athyrium filix-femina, Dentaria bulbifera, Dryopteris carthusiana, D. filix-mas, Fagus orientalis, Geranium robertianum, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Impatiens noli-tangere, Oxalis acetosella, Paris incompleta, Polystichum aculeatum, Ranunculus grandiflorus, Rubus caucasicus, Salvia glutinosa, Symphytum grandiflorum. All described placed in order Abieti nordmannianae– Piceetalia orientalis Coban et Willner 2019 class Asaro europaeai–Abietetea sibiricae Ermakov al. 2016 uniting West Palearctic subnemoral Europe, Asia Minor, Southern Urals Siberia.