Shrubs

Littoral Scrub

Typically dominated by Scaevola taccada and/or Wollastonia biflora on both sandy and rocky substrates, this vegetation type grows between the herbaceous strand zone and littoral forest or Pandanus scrub. Other characteristic species include Clerodendrum inerme, Colubrina asiatica, Ficus scabra and Premna serratifolia.

Volcanic Scrub

On historically recent (ca. 1750 to 1911) volcanic surfaces on Savai'i can be found scrubby vegetation zones that represent young pioneer rain forest. Both lowland and montane subtypes can be distinguished. The lowland (ca. 200 m elevation) scrub is characterized by emerging trees of Fagraea berteroana and Glochidion ramiflorum, the shrub Morinda citrifolia and the ferns Davallia solida and Nephrolepis hirsutula.

The montane scrub at 700 m elevation has, in addition to Fagraea and Glochidion, the trees Metrosideros collina and Weinmannia samoensis. At 1 500 m, an additional volcanic scrub zone is dominated by Coprosma strigulosa, Spiraeanthemum samoense, and Vaccinium whitmeei. In at least one place at this elevation is an ash plain devoid of shrubs and dominated by the grass Imperata conferta and lichens.

last updated: Tuesday, January 13, 2004