Plants of the Mountain Community
The tallest mountains are covered with snow and ice, but smaller mountains are often covered with grasses, forests, or mosses and other small plants. In deserts, mountaintops may be dry and stony.
A little lower on the mountain, small plants grow close to the ground for warmth and protection from the wind. A little further down is the timber line. Above that line, trees cannot grow. Along the timber line, most trees are small and bent. The timber line, the trees grow taller and make a forest that covers the sides of the mountain.
The alpine lily is one of the tallest alpine plants. Its slender stem can bend in the wind, so it isn’t damaged in storms. Alpine saxifrage grows into a kind of flat cushion. And edelweiss has a way of keeping itself warm. It is covered with a thick layer of white hairs that acts as a coat and keeps the heat in.
Picture Credit : Google
