Abstract
Introductory comments are provided on vegetation types, causes of aridity, and biogeographical, ecological and eco-evolutionary 'rules' applicable to desert areas. The desert flora is considered in terms of: the main floristic regions as related to arid regions; the place of the desert flora in the global temperate-tropical catena; descriptions of the Eremaean (ie mainly desertic) flora, including a list of and commentary on typical desert genera shared by more than one continent; and the evolutionary taxon cycle hypothesis in relation to saline-sandy habitats and coastal Eremaean floras. The extent to which geological history can explain similarity or dissimilarity of floras is examined; differences might be explained because of dissimilar contemporary climate and soil, because the regions have a different environmental (climatic) history, or because the regions surrounding each study area differs in vegetation and growth-form strategy. -P.J.Jarvis
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 23-77 |
Number of pages | 55 |
Journal | Unknown Journal |
State | Published - 1985 |