CHAPTER V 



DISTRICTS OF THE WARM TEMPERATE BELTS 

 WITH MOIST WINTERS 



i. Sclerophyllous Woodland in General. Distribution and oecological character 

 of the formations. Structure of the leaves. Subsidiary components. Conditions of 

 existence. 2. Sclerophyllous Woodland in Mediterranean Countries. Maquis. 

 Physiognomy. Systematic composition. Characteristic plants. 3. Sclerophyllous 

 Woodland in Cape Colony. Low bushes. Rarity of trees. Prevalence of small linear 

 leaves. 4. Sclerophyllous Woodland in South and West Australia. Oecological 

 resemblance to other sclerophyllous woodlands. Prevalence of narrow elliptical leaves. 

 The South-West Australian 'scrub,' according to Schomburgk and according to Behr. 

 5. Sclerophyllous Woodland in California. Oecological and systematic character. 

 Shrubs. High forest of Sequoia sempervirens. The ' chaparrals.' 6. Sclerophyllous 

 Woodland in Chili. Oecology and systematic composition. 



i. SCLEROPHYLLOUS WOODLAND IN GENERAL. 



Whilst the districts referred to in the previous chapter resemble the 

 tropics climatically in the coincidence of the rainy season with high 

 temperatures, and accordingly possess a vegetation similar to that of the 

 tropics, this likeness entirely ceases in countries where the precipitations 

 coincide with low temperatures and at the same time the hot season is 

 quite rainless or nearly so. Here the totally different aspect of the 

 vegetation corresponds to the sharp difference in climatic conditions, and 

 finds no analogy within the tropics. The mild temperate districts with winter- 

 rain and prolonged summer-drought are the home of evergreen xerophilous 

 woody plants, which, owing to the stiffness of their thick, leathery leaves, 

 may be termed sclerophyllous woody plants. 



The climatic districts belonging to this group are the littoral countries 

 of the Mediterranean Sea, the south-west extremity of Africa, South-West 

 Australia and the greater part of South Australia, Central Chili, and the 

 greater part of the coastland of California. In all these widely separated 

 countries the vegetation bears essentially the same stamp, in spite of deep- 

 seated difference in the composition of the flora. It is dominated by sclero- 

 phyllous plants, and always, though to a subordinate extent, by tuberous 

 and bulbous plants. Outside the above-mentioned districts, formations of 



