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Black-eyed Susan flowers are the tallest “trees” in this miniature forest of prairie plants.

grasslands grow in a climate that has wet and dry seasons, the dry season being the equivalent of the cold winter in colder cli- mates. Temperate grasslands, such as the North American prairies, do not have such a pronounced dry season. In temper- ate grasslands the diversity of plant species is much less than in the tropics. In the tropics, trees have evolved that can withstand both grazing pressure and fire, so the grassland here is dotted with trees. This kind of grassland is known as savannah. The acacia in Africa is a good example of a savannah tree. Its thorny branches have been described as being like a salad

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Grasslands