A comparative ethnobotany of Khevsureti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Tusheti, Svaneti, and Racha-Lechkhumi, Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo), Caucasus

摘要: The Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo in Georgian language) is part the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, and human agricultural plant use dates bat at least 6000 years. However, little ethnobiological research has been published from region since 1940s. Given lack recent region, present study we report on uses Skartvelo (Republic Georgia), Caucasus. We hypothesized that, (1) given long tradition use, isolation under Soviet rule, both based homegardens wild harvesting would be more pronounced than wiser (2) occupation have had broad influence (3) there still incidence knowledge loss despite wide use. Fieldwork was conducted Khevsureti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Tusheti, Svaneti, Racha July–August 2013, 2014, September–October 2015. Interviews using semi-structured questionnaires were with 170 participants (80 women 90 men) after obtaining their oral prior informed consent. All interviews carried out participants’ homes gardens by native speakers its local dialects (Svan, Tush, Khevsur, Psav), or, where spoke these as language, Armenian, Russian, or Greek. In encountered 480 species belonging to 249 genera 95 families being used region. highest number unique reported remote Tusheti-Khevsureti Informant consensus reports for each food medicinal categories. Of plants 282 exclusively wild-harvested, 103 grown homegardens, 84 sourced wild. Plant species, uses, found our study, general, well regions, showed clear relations wider - Asia Minor Balkans cultural complex. much diverse other studies Eurasia.