Abstract. The distribution of Raunkiaer life forms along rainfall and temperature gradients was determined for the floras of 27 geomorphological districts in Israel. Phane‐rophytes and chamaephytes are relatively strongly represented in districts with very low rainfall, decrease up to 150 mm and 400 mm of mean annual rainfall respectively, and remain more or less constant at higher rainfall figures. Hemicryptophytes andgeophytes increase along the rainfall gradient. Therophytes show an optimum between 200 and 500 mm of rainfall. The distribution of life forms is less clearly correlated with mean annual temperature, though hemicryptophytes and geophytes show a negative correlation with mean annual temperature and with mean annual minimal temperature.

Abstract. Relationships between plant form, plant function, and environmental factors are analyzed in order to test the efficiency of growth form attributes and phenomorphology for studying vegetation on a regional scale. Examples of sclerophyllous evergreen coppices with Quercus ilex in the mediterranean climate of southern France are examined. The results for three growth form attributes (renewal bud location, leaf consistency, leaf size) and some environmental factors show that these criteria are efficient along a gradient of increasing stress. Concerning phenomorphology, some trends along the main environmental gradient become evident, but these results should be confirmed with descriptions of more species. It is suggested that man's ancient, very strong influence upon these ecosystems could explain some results showing that growth form distribution does not fit the pattern of variation in environmental factors.

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