318 Survey uf the Vertical Regions of the Vegetation. 



A considerable part of the hill-slopes within this region is occupied by vineyards; in fact the 

 greatest part of the wine, which is one of the most important products of the island, is cultivated in 

 elevations between 500 and 1200 m. above the sea; in some instances wine is produced in still more 

 elevated localities, as for instance at Prodrome and on the slopes of Silinidon Muti up to ca. 1400 m. 

 above the sea-level.') 



The mountain-region embraces the greater part of the Troodos-range beyond 1200 m. above the sea. 



It is above all the forests which distinguish the landscape within this region. The majority of 

 the most important forest-stretches of the island, those which are constituted by Pimis halepensis subsp. 

 hrutia, P. nigra subsp. Pallasiana and Querciis alnifoUa, pertains to "the mountain-region". The upper 

 limit for P. halepensis subsp. hrutia probably must be drawn at ca. 1550 m. above the sea-level (compare 

 p. 29); according to E. Hartmann this pine mounts still higher on Adelphi.') P. nigra subsp. Pallasiana 

 and Juniperus foetidissima form the forest-limit on Chiouistra at about 1900 m. above the sea. When the 

 upper part of several of the lower summits, e. g. Adelphi, Paputsa, Stavropevkos and Sihnidon Muti, is 

 wholly or nearly destitute of forest, the reason is surely not that the natural forest-limit is here surpassed, 

 but only that the forest has anciently been devastated, and has not under the prevailing natural conditions 

 been able to regenerate. Quercus alnifolia climbs on Chionistra as far as about 1800 m. above the sea. The 

 cedar-forests between Kykko and Irka Steratsa lie at an elevation of 1.3 — 1400 m. above the sea-level. 



Of scrub-societies the cistrose-maquis are especially common within the mountain-region; extensive 

 stretches which must be supposed anciently to have been covered by forests, are now occupied by low 

 copse-woods of Cisttis villosiis var. creticus, which may climb even to 16 — 1700 m. above the sea-level. 



Hydrophile plant-societies play a very inferior part within the mountain-region; they are here 

 chiefly confined to the immediate vicinity of the brooks. 



Only a little part of Chionistra. the highest summit on Cyprus, rises above the natural forest- 

 limit, which may here be put to about 1900 m. above the sea, and thus reaches into the alpine region. 

 On this height the ground is during a great part of the summer moistened by snow-water, sufficiently to 

 allow mesophile plant-societies to thrive here on open, sloping ground. The highest summit of Chionistra 

 is, according to the English maps, situated 195.3 m. above the sea. 



1) Bebgeat (Geologie d. mass. Gesteine d. Insel Cypern, p. 20) and Oberhummer (Die Insel Cyperu, I, p. 321), draw 

 the absolute height-limit of the wine-culture still higher up, respectively at 1500 and 1600 m. above the sea-level. 

 ^) Hartmanm, Die Walder d. Insel Cypern, p. 179. 



1 



