Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica 169 
one finds a group of species characteristic 
of premontane wet or rain forest, such as: 
Ageratum conyzoides, Alsophila erina- 
cea, Banara guianensis, Bomarea obo- 
vata, Centropogon granulosus, Clethra 
costaricensis, Cordia spinescens, Guzma- 
nia patula, Hedyosmum bonplandianum, 
Ilex guianensis, Mikania banisteriae, Myr- 
sine coriaced, Persea caerulea, Rhipido- 
cladum racemiflorum, Stauranthus perfo- 
ratus, Symbolanthus calygonus, Tibou- 
china longifolia, Turpinia occidentalis, 
Vernonia brachiata, and Zapoteca tetra- 
gona; as well as some species characteris- 
Fila Tinamastes (1996) 
tic of warmer savannas, e.g.: Alibertia edulis, Indigofera lespedezioides, Mandevilla 
subsagittata, Melochia villosa, Miconia impetiolaris, and Xylopia aromatica. 
The southern part of the coastal range is made up of a series of smaller ridges — 
Coquito, Anguciana, Cruces, and Zapote—with maximum elevations between ca. 
1000 and 1700 m. It is less isolated than the northern part from the Cordillera de Tala- 
manca, by the Coto Brus Valley, narrower and higher than the General Valley. Thus, the 
vegetation is made up of elements characteristic of the Talamancan premontane wet or 
rain forest life zones, including such species as Alchornea glandulosa, Alsophila firma, 
Anthurium hoffmannii, Ardisia opegrapha, Billia hippocastanum, Brunellia comoclad- 
ifolia, Casearia tacanensis, Cedrela tonduzii, Chamaedorea pinnatifrons, Cinchona 
pubescens, Cordia spinescens, Desmopsis maxonii, D. oerstedii, Elaeagia auriculata, 
Inga exalata, Liabum bourgeaui, Lippia myriocephala, Macrocarpaea valerioi, Ocotea 
tonduzii, Oreopanax xalapensis, Pseudolmedia oxyphyllaria, Quercus spp., Sapium 
pachystachys, Schefflera robusta, Trophis mexicana, Verbesina oerstediana, Wercklea 
lutea, and Xylosma quichensis. Some species found commonly at lower elevations 
along the Pacific coast also occur here, e.g.: Chamaedorea costaricana, Condaminea 
corymbosa, Licania operculipetala, Margaritaria nobilis, Picramnia antidesma, Pre- 
stonia portobellensis, Psychotria deflexa, P. marginata, and Zamia fairchildiana. 
Valley of the Rio Grande de Candelaria. We feel it is necessary to discuss this val- 
ley briefly, given that it is a somewhat isolated, semiarid or arid microclimate. The dry 
conditions along this river system (down to where it joins the Rio Pirris to form the Rio 
Parrita) must be induced by the orographic effect of the surrounding mountains, espe- 
cially Cerros Turrubares and Caraigres (Drag6n), and also those in the region of Santi- 
ago de Puriscal and San Ignacio de Acosta. Some of the dry forest species found here 
are otherwise known only from the Guanacaste dry forest and from along the Rio 
Grande de Térraba; others are more widespread. A few of these dry forest elements are 
