440 A TEXTBOOK OF GENERAL BOTANY 
Subtropical and warm temperate forests are generally of lower 
stature than are the tropical rain forests, and they have fewer 
woody vines and epiphytes. Subtropical or warm temperate for- 
ests occur in southern Japan, Florida, northern Mexico, New 
Zealand, southeastern Australia, and parts of South America. 
In southeastern Australia they are found in gullies and valleys, 
and their luxuriance is 
water than to rain. The 
rain forests of Australia 
and New Zealand are 
characterized by a great 
abundance of tree ferns. 
Cold temperate decidu- 
ous forests. In cold tem- 
perate regions there are 
two classes of forests: 
the deciduous — broad- 
leaved forests (Fig. 494) 
and the evergreen needle- 
leaved, or coniferous, for- 
ests (Fig. 495). The cold 
winter season, from a 
physiological standpoint, 
is a dry period, owing to 
the fact that low temper- 
ature hinders the absorp- 
tion of water by the roots. In broad-leaved forests the lessened 
ability of the roots to absorb water is counterbalanced by the 
loss of the leaves, and so the trees are leafless during the 
winter season (Fig. 496). These deciduous forests are very much 
less luxuriant than the tropical rain forests. The trees form 
only a single story, and when this is well developed there is 
scanty development of undershrubs and herbs. The space under 
the main canopy is therefore open (Fig. 497), instead of being 
densely filled as is the case in most of the tropical rain forests. 

Fig. 494. Deciduous forest in northeastern 
part of the United States 
due more to subterranean 
