Physiognomy is the external appearance of vegetation including such features as colour, luxuriance, seasonality and overall compositional features that can be quickly determined by means of visual assessment. A vegetation classification based on the appearance or physical characteristics of the dominant taxon is called a physiognomic classification. The NVIS Hierarchy is a Physiognomic-Floristic classification, with higher levels containing physiognomic information and the lower, more detailed levels, containing both physiognomic and floristic information. Jones et al, 1990 Brocklehurst, pers. comm., 2003