NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



699 



calaha), the West Indian Cedar [Cedrela 

 odorata), the hog plum (Symphonin 

 glohulifera) and one or more species of 

 Eugenia, Nectandra, Solanum, Mj-rsine, 

 Miconia, Symplocos, Sciadophyllum, 

 Cecropia and Terminalia. The shrubs 

 are numerous in individuals and species, 

 belonging chiefly to the Melastomaceae, 

 Rubiaceae and Piperaceae. Two small 

 palms enter the forest and species of 

 Heliconia, as well as tree ferns, and 

 other large terrestrial, epiphytic and 

 climbing ferns. 



The montane rain-forest lies above 

 4500 ft. It is not so tall as the lowland 

 forest, has a more open canopy, is 

 frequently broken by thickets of ferns 

 such as Gleichenia and Davallia or by 

 the slender bamboo Chusquea. The 

 composition of the forest is simpler 

 than on the lowlands, the dominant 

 trees being species of Clethra, Vac- 

 cinium, Podocarpus, Ilex, Cyrilla, and 

 Cleyera. The undergrowth is domi- 

 nated by ferns and Piperaceae, members 

 of both alliances showing a great diver- 

 sity of size and habit. Tree-ferns are 

 abundant, and the terrestrial and climb- 

 ing ferns and epiphytic ferns and mosses 

 are more numerous than the flowering 

 plants. 



The lowland monsoon-forest is best 

 developed in the south-eastern parishes, 

 in the lee of the Blue Mountains, but it 

 merges into the lowland rain-forest in 

 the central portion of the island. Ex- 

 tensive cultivated areas were probably 

 covered with this type of forest under 

 their original condition. The stature of 

 the forest varies greatly from place 

 to place, but the canopy is always rela- 

 tively open. Lianes are frequent and 

 also climbing aroids, while the epiphytic 

 vegetation is almost confined to Brome- 

 lia, several species of Tillandsia, and 

 a few orchids and large ferns. Among 

 the commonest trees in the monsoon- 

 forest are Bursera simaruha, Haematoxy- 

 lon campechianum, Guiacum officinale, 

 Ardisia tinifolia and Bucida buceras. 

 The savannas of Jamaica have like- 

 wise been very largely brought under 

 cultivation, and have yielded much of 



the sugar and banana land in the south- 

 ern parishes. They occupied alluvial 

 or very gently rolling areas, and were 

 characterized by a rainfall of 35 to 50 

 in. The formation consisted of a cover- 

 ing of coarse grasses and scattered 

 shrubs, with a very open stand of trees, 

 mostly either possessing very small 

 leaflets or having the drought-deciduous 

 habit. Characteristic trees are the 

 cashew (Prosopis juliflora), the logwood 

 (Haematoxylon campechianum), and Pi- 

 thecolobium unguis-cacti. In the vicinity 

 of Kingston large areas of former sa- 

 vanna and monsoon forest are now 

 occupied by open groves of the intro- 

 duced guango tree (Pithecolobium sa- 

 man), in the shade of which is grown 

 guinea grass {Panicum viaximum), the 

 principal forage plant of the island. 



The semi-desert areas lie along the 

 south coast, chiefly on limestone in the 

 vicinity of the Healthshire Hills and 

 on Portland Point. The vegetation is 

 chiefly shrubs and small trees, growing 

 in open formation or more frequently 

 in closed thickets from 4 to 12 ft. in 

 height. The commonest shrubs are 

 several species of Acacia, Cassia, Inga, 

 and other leguminous forms, together 

 with Ardisia, Croton, and a number of 

 compositae. With them, and often in 

 considerable abundance, grow several 

 types of cacti, including the tall co- 

 lumnar "dildoe" {Cephalocereus swart- 

 zii), the slender Harrisia gracilis and 

 the massive turks head {Cactus me- 

 locactus). 



The principal swamp areas are in the 

 parish of St. Elizabeth, with smaller 

 areas in Clarendon and Westmoreland. 

 These are formed chiefly of grasses and 

 coarse sedges and ferns, and are wholly 

 unlike the arborescent swamps of man- 

 grove {Rhizophora mangle and Avicennia 

 nitida) which skirt the coast of the 

 island at many localities. 



Areas 



The lowland rain-forest may best be 

 seen by driving up the Rio Grande from 

 St. Margaret's Bay or up the Buff Bay 



