Montane grasslands and shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high elevation grasslands and shrublands around the world. The term "montane" in the name of the biome refers to "high elevation", rather than the ecological term which denotes the region below treeline.
The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions of Africa are discontinuous, separated from each other by lower-lying areas, and are sometimes referred to as the Afromontane archipelago, as their distribution is analogous to a series of sky islands.
Schefflera apiculata is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is a tree endemic to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. It has been collected in the Bacan Islands, Halmahera Island, and Ternate Island, growing in lowland rain forest.
Heptapleurum bourdillonii is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is a shrub or small tree endemic to Kerala in India. It has been collected in the Travancore Hills in the southern Western Ghats, where it grows in montane rain forest.
Heptapleurum bractescens is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is native to New Guinea and to far northern Queensland in Australia. Originally named from a New Guinea collection, it was identified as a different species, Schefflera versteegii, when first discovered in Australia.
Heptapleurum capituliferum is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to northern Sumatra. It is a small hemiepiphytic tree, which grows in montane rain forest and along forest edges in deep ravines.
Heptapleurum chapanum is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is found in the Fansipan range of northern Vietnam and Yunnan Province of southern China. It grows in subtropical montane forest between 1,000 and 1,200 meters elevation.
Heptapleurum curranii is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is a scrambling shrub or small tree endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines.
Astropanax barteri is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae.
Heptapleurum nanocephalum is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is a tree endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. Its natural habitat is montane rain forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was previously placed in the genus Schefflera.
Heptapleurum taiwanianum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae, native to Taiwan, where it is scattered throughout coniferous forests at 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft). Growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8.2 ft) broad, it is an evergreen shrub or small tree. Large leaves up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long are composed of up to 11 ovate leaflets arranged radially around a central stalk. Young leaves are covered in silver hairs, while mature leaves have a smooth surface. Sprays of flowers in late summer are followed by dark berries in winter - a valued food source for insects and birds.
The Sanetti Plateau is a major plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands, in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The plateau is the highest part of the Bale Mountains, and is located within Bale Mountains National Park.
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial factor in shaping plant community, biodiversity, metabolic processes and ecosystem dynamics for montane ecosystems. Dense montane forests are common at moderate elevations, due to moderate temperatures and high rainfall. At higher elevations, the climate is harsher, with lower temperatures and higher winds, preventing the growth of trees and causing the plant community to transition to montane grasslands and shrublands or alpine tundra. Due to the unique climate conditions of montane ecosystems, they contain increased numbers of endemic species. Montane ecosystems also exhibit variation in ecosystem services, which include carbon storage and water supply.
The Nimba Range forms part of the southern extent of the Guinea Highlands. The highest peak is Mount Richard-Molard on the border of Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, at 1,752 m (5,748 ft). "Mount Nimba" may refer either to Mount Richard-Molard or to the entire range. Other peaks include Grand Rochers at 1,694 m (5,558 ft), Mont Sempéré at 1,682 m (5,518 ft), Mont Piérré Richaud at 1,670 m (5,480 ft), Mont Tô at 1,675 m (5,495 ft), and Mont LeClerc 1,577 m (5,174 ft), all of them are located in Guinea. Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve of Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire covers significant portions of the Nimba Range.
Heptapleurum polycladum is a plant species endemic to in Papua New Guinea. It is an extant taxon. It is a scrambling tree which grows from 4 to 15 meters tall. It is likely pollinated by insects, and its fruit and seeds dispersed by birds.
Crepinella acaropunctata is a flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to the tepuis Cerro Duida and Cerro Marahuaca in Duida–Marahuaca National Park of Amazonas state of southern Venezuela.
Heptapleurum acuminatissimum is a flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is known only from Bataan Province on the island of Luzon. It is a small scandent tree which grows in lowland rain forest at 700 meters elevation. It is known from a single location, and has an estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) of only 4 km2.
Heptapleurum angiense is a flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is a tree endemic to western New Guinea.
Arsi Mountains National Park is a national park in Arsi Zone of Oromia Region in Ethiopia. It protects a portion of the Ethiopian Highlands, and includes montane forests, subalpine heath, and alpine grasslands and shrublands. The park was designated in 2011, and covers an area of 10876 km2.
Heptapleurum polybotryum is a species of shrub in the family Araliaceae. They are scrambling shrubs or trees native to Java and southern Sulawesi.
