 Vegetation in the Andes varies with elevation . Above 1 @,@ 600 meters ( 5 @,@ 249 ft ) the slopes of mountains are covered by Alpine @-@ like steppe , while below there are zones of Nothofagus forest , Hygrophilous forest , Sclerophylous forest , and matorral . The number of plant species is likely to exceed 2 @,@ 000 , although no comprehensive study of the flora of Central Chile has been undertaken . 
