temperate rainforest


temperate rainforest

[′tem·prət ′rān‚fär·əst] (ecology) A vegetation class in temperate areas of high and evenly distributed rainfall characterized by comparatively few species with large populations of each species; evergreens are somewhat short with small leaves, and there is an abundance of large tree ferns. Also known as cloud forest; laurel forest; laurisilva; moss forest; subtropical forest.