Also known as tropical semi-deciduous submontane forest, In the Cristalino area, it forms a transition between the deciduous forest and the evergreen forest. Although some trees reach up to 45 meters in height, this forest is not as tall as the evergreen forest, with most of the taller trees not exceeding 30 meters.
Lianas in the Cristalino semideciduous forest.
At ground level, this forest is denser, with many emergent trees, and there are also more species of palms. The soil is dark brown in color and much sandier. A thick herbaceous layer, including grasses and moss, may also be a feature at ground level. In certain months of the year, small ponds form within this type of vegetation.
The larger trees found in this type of forest include Jataipeva (Dialium guianense), Ingas (Inga sp.), Earpod (Enterolobium sp.), Tonka Bean (Dipteryx odorata), Jatoba (Hymenaea parvifolia) and representatives of the Pea (Swartzia sp. and Dimorphandra sp.) family. Trees in the Sapotaceae and Dogbane (apocynaceae) families are also common. This type of forest is of considerable importance in terms of wildlife and biodiversity.
