288 EREMOPHYTES sect, xi 



Peruvian Loma. 



An entirely peculiar type of grass-steppe is represented by the loma 

 on the coasts of Peru.^ The vegetative season is the short period in 

 winter during which dense mists moisten the soil. The vegetation con- 

 sists almost exclusively of bulbous and tuberous plants, in addition to 

 annual herbs, and includes Amaryllidaceae, Liliaceae, species of Malva 

 and Erodium, Convolvulaceae, species of Calceolaria, and Loasaceae. 

 In many years the mist is withheld, and seeds do not germinate. In 

 winter the loma is like a mountain-meadow ; in summer, like a desert. 



CHAPTER LXXV. SIBLJAK 



The term sihljak is employed by Adamovicz ^ to designate bushland 

 which is formed by photophilous, thermophilous shrubs, and is character- 

 istic of the boundaries of steppe and forest. The sihljak-shmhs, namely, 

 species of Cytisus, Prunus Chamaecerasus, Paliurus, Juniperus, and 

 others, never grow in forest. Between them a number of steppe-plants 

 grow as subordinate constituents. Just as sihljak is sharply delimited 

 from forest, so in like manner it shows no transitional forms connecting it 

 with the Mediterranean maqui. It is deciduous, whereas the latter is 

 evergreen. Sihljak is encountered in the lower-lying tracts of the Balkan 

 peninsula. Apparently it has often arisen on disforested soil, yet it 

 must be regarded as a natural formation, which, although acquiring a 

 wider distribution by the destruction of forest, does not owe its origin 

 to this. 



Similar bushlands occur in Roumania in the south of the Dobruja 

 district.^ And in Hungary this type of bushland occurs,* even as far 

 west as the vicinity of Vienna,^ also in Bohemia.^ 



In Caucasia, according to Radde," bushland composed of Paliurus 

 aculeatus attains a considerable distribution. In this bushland plants 

 belonging to steppe and forest grow in confused array. Bushland com- 

 posed of species of Glycyrrhiza occurring in Transcaucasia should probably 

 be regarded as belonging to the same general type, as should also bush- 

 lands of deciduous shrubs in Aragon.^ 



Along river-banks woodland from adjoining forest-regions extends far into 

 desert and steppe, as fringing {riparian) forest. In the Sahara and Kalahari, strips 

 of forest composed of various thorny species of Acacia are formed. These forests 

 are to be regarded as alhed to thorn-forest in savannah.* In colder countries, for 

 instance, in Turan and North America, deciduous trees form similar fringing 

 forests ; they are, for the most part, composed of willows and poplars. 



* Benrath, 1904. ^ Adamovicz, 1902, ' Grecescu, 1898; Vahl, 1907. 



* Pax, 1896. ^ Beck von Mannagetta, 1890-3. Domin, 1905 a. 

 ' Radde, 1899. ' Wilkomm, 1896. ' See p. 294. 



