 Pine forests are found primarily in well-drained, nutrient-poor, acidic soils such as quartziferous sands, pseudo-spodosols in the west, and lateritic soils.Pine trees and encino ("Quercus sagraeana") obtain nutrients through an ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with fungi, allowing them to attain tree size.The forests feature a dense xerophytic brushy story of mainly Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, and Melastomataceae along with a herbaceous story of a few epiphytes, primarily from the genus "Tillandsia", and lianas.