CHAPTER IV 

 MOUNTAIN REGIONS IN THE TEMPERATE ZONES 



Introduction, i. The Regions in the Warm Temperate Districts resembling 

 the Tropics, i. Central Asia. Himalayas. Rain-forest in Sikkim, summer-forest on the 

 Western Himalayas. Pamirs. Tibet. Regions on the Nan-Shan according to Przhe- 

 valsky. Alpine meadow. Stony desert. Kuenlun forest on the Jakhar. The Tibetan 

 plateau, ii. New Zealand. Montane region : Xerophilous woodland. Beech-forest. 

 Vegetation of dry grassy wastes. Alpine region : Elfin-wood. Alpine stony desert. 

 Cushion-plants. Hi. Africa. Natal. Regions according to Thode. iv. South America. 

 Argentine Cordilleras. South Chili. 2. The Regions in Warm Temperate Districts with 

 Moist Winters, i. Mediterranean Countries. Lebanon. Atlas. Sierra Nevada. Mont 

 Ventoux. Apennines. Aetna. South Macedonian mountains. Athos. Canary Isles. 

 Laurel-forest in the montane region of the Canaries, ii. America. California. Chili. 

 3. The Regions in the Cold Temperate Belts, i. Switzerland, Forests of the basal 

 and montane regions. Alpine region. Elfin-wood. Rhododendron. Shrubland. Alpine 

 grassland. Rock-flora. Flora and climate of the St. Theodule Pass. ii. Regional Tables. 

 Regions on the Tatra range ; on the Pyrenees ; on the Caucasus ; on the Tian-Shan ; 

 on the Altai ; on Ontake ; on the White Mountains ; on the Rocky Mountains ; in Tierra 

 del Fuego. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The regions of vegetation exhibit essential oecological differences in the 

 cold and warm belts of the temperate zones, and in the warm belts they 

 vary, at least in their lower parts, according as the climate is like that 

 of the tropics, that is to say has summer-rain or rain at all seasons of 

 the year, or has a stamp of its own owing to the dryness of summer and 

 the wetness of winter. 



1. THE REGIONS IN THE WARM TEMPERATE DISTRICTS 

 RESEMBLING THE TROPICS. 



i. CENTRAL ASIA. 



A rainy climate like that of the tropics characterizes the southern slope 

 of the Eastern Himalayas. In Sikkim, rain-forest of a still purely tropical 

 character below, but of a temperate character above, clothes the mountain 

 slopes up to an altitude of 7,400 feet (Fig. 448). Then the distance from 

 the tropics makes its influence felt. The highest forest belt is tropophilous ; 

 during the winter many trees (oaks, birches) lose their leaves. The 

 systematic character is also cold temperate. 



