La végétation du Mont Ventoux

Abstract

The vegetation map (see Appendix) is based on the concept of the vegetation series, within which different stages (mature forest, pre-climax forest, scrub, grassland and reafforested areas) are recognised. The most important native trees are Quercus ilex, Q. pubescens, Fagus sglvatica, Pinus halepensis, P. sglvestris, P. uncinata and Abies alba. The vegetation contains elements of both the Mediterranean and the Central European phyto-geogra-phical regions. The former is more typical of the southern slope and the lower part of the northern slope ; the latter occurs on the upper part of the northern slope (extending over to the summit of the southern slope) and part of the eastern ridge. Each of the vegetation series is restricted to one subgroup of these two broad divisions. The Mont Ventoux contains most of the vegetation series known from the limestone regions of southern France ; and the combination of a Mediterranean vegetation on the southern slopes with a Central European type on the northern slopes make it a typical example of the southern prealpine mountains.