The Veracruz Montane Forests of eastern Mexico lie near the country's highest peak (Orizaba, 18,855 feet (5,747 m) above sea level). They are very wet, being cloaked in clouds, and receive nearly 60 inches (1,500 mm) of rain a year. The dominant trees, a species of sweet gumand escarpment live oak, grow well in the soil derived from volcanic rock and reach heights of 131 feet (40 m). In the canyons where soils are deep, Engelhardia mexicana is the primary species, joined by Clethra quercifolia, Senecio grandifolius, Hoffmania orizabensis and Cornus florida. Epiphytes such as orchids, ferns, mosses, and lichens cover much of the trees' surfaces under these wet conditions.
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