Broadleaved

Open forests are found only on ultrabasic terrain, mainly in the south of the territory.

The dominant storey in open forests is often virtually pure, frequently of Arillastrum gummifera or Araucariaceae (see "Open conifer forests" below).

Arillastrum gummifera forests are found at low altitudes (under 500 m), as small and very open pure stands in the south of Grande Terre. They rarely exceed a height of 15 m, and accompanying species include Neoguillauminia cleopatra and Agathis lanceolata. The lower storey is generally between 3 and 10 m in height. The main part of the undergrowth, which is floristically very rich, is composed of shrubs under 3 m in height. Epiphytes are rare, and gymnosperms and tree ferns are absent, but there are many lianas.

Niaouli (Melaleuca quinquenervia) formations are found on a wide range of soils, but not on mined land. Their range is constantly spreading as a result of bushfires, although they are rarely found above 500 m. They can take on different forms, ranging from shrub savannah to open forest, depending on tree density. Niaouli is an indigenous species of varying size which forms stands of average height (7-17 m), accompanied by a grassy ground cover.

last updated: Wednesday, October 6, 2004