Tropical montane cloud forests are unique habitats with great ecological and hydrological significance. In the Western Ghats, these upper montane forests (also known as sholas) and associated grassland habitats form approximately 1% of the land area but harbour disproportionately high numbers of endemic taxa. Despite their great conservation significance, little is known about how patterns of tree and shrub species composition vary across space, how environmental factors such as soil, climate and topography affect tree and shrub community composition, and how widespread conversion of surrounding grasslands to tea and exotic tree plantations has affected shola forest communities.