CHAPTER XXVIII 
TROPICAL FORESTS 
THE very highest type of vegetation, the most complex 
mixture of plants of all sorts of families and of various 
habits, are to be found in the tropical jungle. This 
reaches its best and finest development only where 
there is no dry season, or at least none long enough or 
sufficiently severe to leave any distinct mark upon the 
vegetation. Forests in the tropics are by no means 
always of the same character. Unfortunately it would 
be impossible to explain the intricate classification which 
is adopted by many German botanists. Nor is there 
any recognised system adopted by English writers on 
botanical geography, which is most unfortunate. 
If, however, one were to take an aeroplane trip more 
or less along the equator from the West Coast of Africa 
to Ruwenzori, the different types of vegetation which 
could be roughly sketched would be as follows. 
Wherever, along the seashore, there are river estuaries 
or mud-banks, mangrove forest would be found. This 
extends up the rivers and creeks at least as far as the 
sea-water is able to penetrate. 
The coast mountains will be covered everywhere 
with the true wet jungle forest, at least so far up their 
flanks as they are supplied with rain and moisture from 
the ocean. Of course this distance varies greatly accord- 
ing to the mountain heights and general contour of the 
continent, At Bibundi in German West Africa (where 
there is the magnificent rainfall of 11,900.65 mm. (476 
inches) per annum) the true wet jungle or tropical forest 
proper occurs right up the mountain sides to a height 
of 2700 metres (8800 feet) in He more sheltered gorges.) 
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