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Stemonoporus (Dipterocarpaceae)-dominated montane forests in the Adam's Peak Wilderness, Sri Lanka

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

A. M. Greller ,
I. A. U. N. Gunatilleke ,
A. H. M. Jayasuriya ,
C. V. S. Gunatilleke ,
S. Balasubramaniam  and
M. D. Dassanayake
A. M. Greller
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, USA
I. A. U. N. Gunatilleke
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
A. H. M. Jayasuriya
Affiliation:
National Herbarium, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
C. V. S. Gunatilleke
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
S. Balasubramaniam
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
M. D. Dassanayake
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
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Abstract

Stemonoporus Thw. (Dipterocarpaceae), a genus endemic to Sri Lanka, contains as many as 26 species, all but one confined to the perhumid forests of the island. Several species reach 1800 m, the highest altitude recorded for any dipterocarp species in Sri Lanka. We report the first quantitative data on Stemonoporus-domirated stands in the montane zone (1500–1700 m). Stemonoporus cordifolius and 5. rigidus show clear single-species dominance of their respective stands. Stemonoporus gardneri is a co-dominant with Palaquium rubiginosum in its two stands. All Stemonoporus species appear to have a unique geographical and ecological range and no two Stemonoporus species co-exist in our stands.

Keywords

Dipterocarpaceaeforest ecologySri LankaStemonoporustropical montane forest
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , August 1987 , pp. 243 - 253
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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References

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