elfinwood

Elfin woodlands are stunted forests found at high elevations in tropical wet or temperate coastal areas. These forests are characterized by short, gnarled trees heavily draped with epiphytes (air plants), and their floors are covered in mosses and ferns.12

Elfin woodlands are not typically very biodiverse, containing a limited variety of woody species and vertebrate animals compared to forests at lower elevations. Some notable examples of coastal elfin woodlands are found in California, northern Mexico, and Oregon. A significant tropical elfin woodland exists in the Philippines, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A similar stunted forest type, known as krummholz, is characteristic of alpine regions near the tree line.1