Chap. IV] MOUNTAIN REGIONS IN TEMPERATE ZONES 771 



Feet. 

 Mesophilous summer-green forest 1,200-3,500 



(Chestnut, 3,coo ft. ; Quercus pubescens, 3,500 ft.) 



Mesophilous coniferous forest ........ 1,700-5,250 



(Pinus Laricio, 3,500-4.500 ft. ; Abies pectinata, 1.700 5,250 ft.) 



2. Alpine Region 5,250-6,440 



Shrub-wood of Daphne jasminea, Prunus prostrata. 



The Canaries and Madeira are included among those few points in the 

 sclerophyllous district where suitable conditions are provided for temperate 

 rain-forest in the montane region, namely, a mild winter and abundant 

 atmospheric precipitations at all seasons. On Pico-de-Teyde in Teneriffe, 

 a belt of clouds is present almost every day, even during summer, at 

 between 700 and 1,600 meters, and provides moisture in the montane 

 region ; yet this suffices for the maintenance of an inferior rain-forest in 

 ravines only, whilst the slopes support a sclerophyllous vegetation. Above 

 the clouds the sclerophyllous vegetation again reigns alone. 



REGIONS IN THE CANARIES 1 . 

 Basal Region. Meters. 



Succulent and sclerophyllous plants . . .. . . . . up to 700 



Montane Region. 



Temperate rain-forest (laurel-forest) 1,600 



Pinus canadensis with sclerophyllous plants 2,000 



Alpine Region (Teyde). 



Leafless shrub of Spartocytisus nubigenus and perennial herbs. 



The laurel-forest is specially interesting, as it is a sclerophyllous forest transformed 

 into a temperate rain-forest, or a stage intermediate between them, with a closer 

 approximation to the sclerophyllous forest. Christ has described it in his masterly 

 monograph : — 



* It consists chiefly of Laurineae : Persea indica, Laurus canadensis (closely allied 

 to L. nobilis), Oreodaphne foetens, Phoebe barbusana. The principal plants be- 

 longing to other families are : Ilex canariensis, Erica arborea, Myrica Faya, and 

 other rarer species. The underwood consists of Rhamnus glandulosa, Viburnum 

 rugosum, species of Rubus, Smilax mauritanica and S. canariensis, and others. 

 Hedera canariensis creeps along the ground. The terrestrial herbs consist chiefly 

 of ferns of a luxuriant growth. The poor development of lianes and the absence of 

 true epiphytes, of which only Davallia canariensis and Asplenium Hemionitis form 

 a weak contingent, distinguish this forest from typical rain-forest. Several of the 

 woody species are partly identical with or partly related to Mediterranean sclero- 

 phyllous plants.' 



ii. AMERICA. 



The Californian Sierra Nevada rises on its western slopes out of 

 a typical sclerophyllous district. The sclerophyllous woodland, including 

 evergreen oaks, ascends at certain points up to an altitude of 1,800 



1 Christ, I. 

 3 d 2 



