354 INTRODUCTION TO PLANT GEOGRAPHY [CHAP. 



flowers are largely absent in this forest, the aspect is one of consider- 

 able luxuriance owing to the profusion of shrubs, epiphytes, and 

 climbers— as well as of Ferns and lower cryptogams. 



4. The temperate rain forest of southern Chile, which may be 

 almost impenetrable owing to the density of the undergrowth. The 

 dominant trees are again various and usually mixed, including some 

 small-leafed evergreen Southern Beeches and other types, and a few 

 Conifers. Bamboos of the genus Chiisquea are often important in 

 the dense undergrowth, and a considerable variety of climbers and 

 epiphytes are again to be found. 



SCLEROPHYLLOUS, ETC., WoODLANDS 



In warm-temperate regions having a rather hot and dry summer 

 alternating with a cooler moist season, the dominant trees and shrubs 

 tend to be evergreen and to have small and hard, thickish leathery 

 leaves (sclerophylls). This is characteristic of most of the shores 

 and hinterland of the Mediterranean, after which such climates are 

 commonly named, though they occur also in the southwestern 

 portions of Australia and South Africa, in central-southern and 

 southeastern Australia, in the extreme southwest of the United 

 States and adjacent Mexico, and in central Chile. Although they 

 sometimes abut on areas of warm-temperate rain forest, these 

 sclerophyllous forest areas tend to show greater daily and seasonal 

 temperature extremes, with snow and ice not infrequent around 

 midwinter. Moreover the precipitation, besides falling irregularly, 

 is usually much less plentiful than in rain-forest areas, typically 

 ranging from 50 to 100 cm. (approximately 20 to 40 inches) yearly, 

 while the quantity of moisture in the air varies greatly at different 

 times. The plant communities tend to be rather drab through most 

 of the year but attractively decked at flowering time. 



Although shaded uplands and areas of sufficient ground-moisture 

 may bear more luxuriant mixed or deciduous forests, the typical 

 dominants of sclerophyllous regions are lowish and gnarled, examples 

 being rounded or flat-crowned evergreen Oaks, Olives {Oka spp.), 

 or similar trees, and needle- or scale-leafed Conifers. They usually 

 grow in more or less open, scattered formation, at least after dis- 

 turbance by Man, and when destroyed are commonly replaced by 

 a fairly dense scrub of mixed deciduous and evergreen bushes — 

 including members of their own undergrowth. Even the associated 

 herbs often have the form of shrub-like perennials, or store water 



