268 



OUTLINE OF PLANT GEOGRAPHY 



the distinctly American family Malpighiaceae. Bamboos, small 

 palms, tree-ferns, lianas and epiphytes become more and more 

 abundant as t be tropical zone is approached. Among the epiphytes 

 are some true parasites of the mistletoe family, (Loranthus, Pho- 

 radendron), and the exclusively American family Bromeliaceae 

 is represented by a great number of species. This family is repre- 

 sent ed in our Gulf States by the "Spanish moss," and others, 



'~W 



^^^^# 



« 



* ' .*&* HIS 



mm 



tw^l - ■-■+* 



Fig. 78. — Coastal desert. Shore of Gulf of California at Libertad, Sonora; Frank- 

 enia Palmeri, dominant. Photo., Dr. W-. S. Cooper. 



especially in Florida. Orchids are also extremely abundant in 

 this region, and include some very beautiful species. 



The region between 1,000 and 2,000 metres * has a heavy rainfall 

 pretty evenly distributed. It is a region of evergreen oaks, and 

 tree-ferns, and has many epiphytic orchids, and some small palms, 

 (Chamaedoria spp.). This region has more species than the 

 tropical belt below it. 



The immediate coastal area is not so luxuriant in its vegetation 

 as the region above 500 feet, as parts of it are quite barren, and 

 only in the low ground and along the streams, is a true forest 



1 Drude, loc. cit., p. 507. 



