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Chilean Mediterranean Sclerophyllous Forest Macrogroup | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Chilean Mediterranean Sclerophyllous Forest Macrogroup Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This macrogroup includes several types of sclerophyllous forests distributed in the central Chilean region, characterized by a Mediterranean climate, grading from xeric towards its northern distribution to sub-humid towards the southern end of its range. The altitudinal range goes from 0-1300 m asl for forests distributed on the coast, central valleys and inland hills of the Coastal Cordillera, and from 1400-2200 m for forests growing in the lower montane and montane western slopes of the Andes in central Chile. The structure of the different types of Chilean sclerophyllous forests depends on the moisture available, with better humidity conditions in areas facing the ocean, areas with south aspect and in the valleys. In those cases forests are 8-12 m high, more diverse, have an almost closed canopy and a significant presence of vascular epiphytes. Diagnostic tree species are <i>Cryptocarya alba, Peumus boldus Persea lingue, Lithrea caustica, Schinus latifolius</i>, and elements such as <i>Beilshmiedia miersii</i> and <i>Crinodendron patagua</i>. Under drier conditions the canopy becomes shorter and fairly open with <i>Lithrea caustica</i> and <i>Quillaja saponaria</i>, and the shrub stratum dominates the cover with thorny species such as <i>Colliguaja odorifera, Retanilla trineriva, Escallonia pulverulenta, Lobelia excelsa, Aextoxicon punctatum</i>, and the succulents <i>Puya berteroniana</i> and <i>Echinopsis chiloensis</i> accompanied by several cacti species and very few herbs. Sites across the distribution of this macrogroup used to show extensive palm groves of the endemic <i>Jubaea chilensis</i>. Many more tree and shrub species characterize this type but the specific assemblages are determined by the moisture and the edaphic conditions. The montane sclerophyllous forests tend to have an open canopy with dominants <i>Kageneckia angustifolia, Guindilia trinervis</i>, and <i>Colliguaja integerrima</i>, with <i>Quillaja saponaria</i> and <i>Lithrea caustica</i> becoming more abundant at lower montane elevations, and a diverse shrub stratum with <i>Proustia cuneifolia, Colliguaja odorifera</i>, and <i>Satureja gilliesii</i>. The herbaceous stratum is more diverse and dominant in the montane communities.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40904-{9B6FD41C-96C6-462B-A340-6A12FF5D3649} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 17-Apr-2014 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Chilean Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Division This Community's Level: Macrogroup This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.884801 NatureServe Explorer   Code: M652   Scientific: Chilean Mediterranean Sclerophyllous Forest Macrogroup