Shrubs

Scrub is found in relatively dry conditions in various places along the coast and in the mountains. It is found at the lower level mainly in Los Ríos, Guayas and Manabí provinces, stretching south to the dry Peruvian coast ("tropical" and "subtropical desertic scrub" and "tropical" and "subtropical thorn woodland"). Typical locations are the Guayas peninsula and the foot of the Colonche Mountains. The Andean level, especially the high peaks, has scrub, as do the inter-Andean valleys, for example Malcatos and Vilcabamba, where Cactaceae are common (Acosta-Solva, 1961). The vegetation of the Galapagos Islands (an "arid zone") is made up essentially of cactus scrub and sometimes ­ in ravines ­ of scrub with trees such as Bursera graveolens, Coroton scouleri and Acacia spp. Small closed forests are found only on the upper level (at an altitude of over 180 m).

last updated: Tuesday, January 13, 2004