Tropic Zone: Guatemalan Region. 667 
Savanna Formation. In Peten in the northern part of Guatemala are 
great grass covered areas called sabanas by the natives. Small groups of 
Coyol palm, Acrocomia vinifera, and other trees dot over the surface of these 
savannas. In general, the savannas are in the middle of the lowlands between 
the Caribbean coast and the mountains. The coast rains are well known, but 
as the winds go over the interior plains without ascending, these plateaux are 
therefore in a partially dry belt, so that for several months in the dry season 
no rains occur. 
Consulting the maps of SAPPER, it is found that the savannas dotted over 
with trees are located inside of the littoral forest along the whole Pacific coast 
of Guatemala, extending into Salvador and Nicaragua with finger-like exten- 
sions into the interior of the country along the valleys of the principal streams. 
Here the vegetation of this formation mingles with that of the oak-pine 
forests. Elsewhere the savannas occur in the interior, but never covering a 
large amount of territory. 
Another type of savanna called *pajales” exists in regions of relative dryness, where except 
the small strips of timber along streams and the small clumps of bushes and isolated pine woods 
cover the mountains and valleys in some parts of Alta Vera Paz. It lies, as other savanna is- 
lands on the leeward side of mountains, thus cut off from an abundant rain supply. 
i Formation. Little information is available concerning this formation except a 
short note by SarpErR that the sabinas, Taxodium mucronatum, forms pure growths in 
Huehuetenango, where it reaches its most eastern distribution. 
2. Plant Formations on Central American Volcanoes. 
The summit of Volcan de Agua (about 12,400 or 13,500 feet), is clothed 
with grass and a few pines, together with alpine shrubs (Vaccineae, Lupinus etc.) 
up to the summit’); but Volcan de Fuego, the highest peak of Guatemala 
(12,655 feet) owing perhaps to the looseness of the scoriae, is nearly barren. 
The sparse vegetation here consists. of ferns, Iycopods, etc. fixed in the cre- 
vices of the rocks. Lower on both volcanoes, the pine trees Become larger 
and more numerous, down to an elevation of about 10,200 feet, where they 
cease suddenly and give way to a dense mixed forest of which Cheirostemon 
is one of the most characteristic trees. Large evergreen oaks are prevalent 
at 7,000 fo 8,000 feet”. The Volcan de Atitlan (11,564 or 12,000 feet) 
somewhat resembles the Volcan de Agua and Volcan de Fuego, but the zones 
of vegetation are not so clearly marked. Above 3,500 feet, where en 
cultivation encroaches, a rich forest prevails on the southern slope througf z 
large portion of which is a beautiful undergrowth of small palms. The summit 
of this mountain is nearly bare because the volcanic ash press plants 
getting a foothold there, but a few plants are to be found in the crevices O0 
the rocks fostered by streams issuing therefrom. 
1) KELLERMANN, W, A.: Journal of Myeology XI: 137. 
2) Hemsrey, W. B.: Biologia Centrali-Americana. IV: 152—154. 
