A quantitative and qualitative study of the indigenous forests of the southwestern Cape
[page 80 missing] The vegetation of the south-western corner of South Africa is dominated by low sclerophyllous shrubland and is largely lacking in trees (Taylor, 1978). Forest is moreor-less restricted to sheltered valleys, southern slopes and rock screes (Campbell and Moll, 1977; Taylor, 1978). Early botanists referred to the forests as containing 'tropical' species in contrast to the temperate Cape flora (Acocks, 1953; Phillips, 1931). However, White (1978) showed that these forests were overwhelmingly afromontane in species composition; an effect of increasing latitude compensating for altitude in this region.
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