Physiognomy and Pattern

Physiognomy is the general appearance of vegetation as determined by the growth, form of dominant species. It may be considered a synthetic character because the appearance is based on a number of qualitative characteristics such as the kind of dominant species, life form, population density, cover, height, sociability, stratification, and association of species.

For example, if we look at a community where large trees are dominant and some shrubs are also present we would immediately say that it is a forest. Similarly on the basis of appearance one can identify a community as grassland or desert community. Pattern refers to whether the vegetation occurs in the form of groups or clumps of individuals or in any other non-random arrangement.