Page:The Journal of Indian Botany.djvu/723

SUCCESSIONS OF THE SAT TAL VALLEX. 25?

Fig. 4. Aspect of the Kumaon Himalayas looking eastward from about 5,000 ft. at Sat Tal. The hill in the foreground has Pinus longifolia Boxb. on the crest and ridge toward the observer the Bait- hinia formation on the south (right side) and Quercus incana Boxb. on the north (left side). In the center of the picture is the Bhim Tal lake and village. June, 1919.

Fig. 5. Forest of Pinus longifolia Boxb. at 5,500 ft. near the top of the ridge northwest of Sat Tal valley. The pure character of the forest is noteworthy. The abundant seedlings beneath the larger trees are all of about the same age, have appeared after a fire has destroyed the previous crop of seedlings and have practically held the ground against invaders. May, 1919.

Fig. 6. A monsoon forest at 4,500 ft., Sat Tal, on an east'facing slope. Prevailing trees are Bauhinia, Grewia and Nyctanthes, the latter a relict from the pioneer stage. The trees are relatively bare and the ground covered with fallen leaves. June, 1919.

Fig. 7. A dense portion of the same formation as shown in 6. Bauhinia Vahlii W. &. A., the largest of lianas in this region, is shown in the middle foreground.

Fig. 8. Quercus incana forest. Mixed with the Quercus are Bhododendron arboreum Sm.< shown in the right foreground, and Pieris ovalifolia D. Don. Photograph taken near Landour but quite representative of the same forest at Sat Tal. June, 1921.

Fig. 9. Branch of Quercus incana during the monsoon season showing abundance of epiphytic ferns among which Leucostegia pseit- docystopteris Runze predominates. Landour, August, 1914-

Fig. 10. Woodfordia-Nyctanthes pioneer shrub formation of monsoon fore3t. Sat Tal, south slope, 5,000 ft., June, 1919.

Fig. 11. South-facing slope a mile north of Sat Tal valley. At the crest is Pinus longifolia Boxb., in the valleys is Quercus incana Boxb. above and trees of the Bauhinia formation lower down, to- gether with pioneers of both formations, at the base are terrace-edge pioneers, mostly Bosaceae and Berberis asiatica Boxb. Much of the exposed slope is the xerarch pioneer grassland formation. The north- facing slope just across the valley, is occupied by a ; dense and unin- terrupted oak forest.

Fig. 12. A south slope, 5,000 ft., at Sat Tal, showing edaphic distribution. The valley is occupied mainly by broad-leaf evergreens, bordering which are mainly monsoon-deciduous trees, while the exposed ridge is mainly grassland. June, 1919.