Mediterranean Scrubland
Climate: Subtropical
Subtropical regions are found above and below the equatorial tropics, where the climate is more moderate.
Tropical rainforests are not the only places that house incredible botanical diversity. The Western Cape region of South Africa and the southwestern corner of Australia, with their paradoxically infertile soils, host a wide range of endemic plants that grow only in those regions. These temperate climate regions - with their wet winters and dry summers - are hotspots of diversity. The similar growth forms and leaf types of plants from these regions mask their botanical diversity until their blossoms reveal incredible variation. Succulents are found throughout both regions, but one unique group of plants, Conophytum, have adapted to imitate the landscape. The shape and texture of the leaves resemble a pile of pebbles, which may deter herbivores
Pictured: Pleiospilos bolusii from South Africa