Sclerophyll
type of vegetation that has hard leaves, short internodes and leaf orientation parallel or oblique to direct sunlight
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation which has hard leaves and short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem). The word comes from the Greek sclero (hard) and phyllon (leaf).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Fynbos-landscape-1.jpg/250px-Fynbos-landscape-1.jpg)
Sclerophyllous plants occur in many parts of the world.[1] They are shaped by a Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and long hot dry summers. Wildfires often occur. These conditions feature summer drought-tolerant plants with hard sclerophyllous evergreen leaves,
This kind of climate occurs in:
- The Americas, in the chaparral biomes
- Californian woodlands
- Chilean Matorral
- Australia, this type of biome occurs throughout western (Perth), eastern (Sydney) and southern (Adelaide) areas.[2]
- Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome that cover the Mediterranean Basin
- Cape Province of South Africa.
References
change- ↑ Hogan, C. Michael 2010. Leather Oak, Quercus durata. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and Environment. Washington DC
- ↑ "Sydney Coastal Dry Sclerophyll Forests". NSW Environment & Heritage. Retrieved September 17, 2012.