The highlands catch the wet northeast trade winds, and the eastern slopes generally receive more rainfall.

In four areas above 1,800–2,000 metres (5,900–6,600 ft) elevation, the subhumid forests transition to the montane Madagascar ericoid thickets.

[7] The original flora of the ecoregion has been much altered by human use; extensive areas have been cleared for agriculture, grazing, and rice cultivation, and some exotic species such as Acacia and Eucalyptus have been introduced.

Trees are typically evergreen, and species of Tambourissa, Pterophylla, Symphonia, Dombeya, Dilobeia, Dalbergia, Canarium, Diospyros, Eugenia, Protorhus, Grewia, Brachylaena, Astropanax, Polyscias, and Vernonia are most common.

Trees of the genus Ephippiandra are largely confined to moist montane forest and some higher-elevation plant communities.

Common canopy trees include Dicoryphe viticoides, Tina isoneura, Razafimandimbisonia minor, and Baronia taratana.

[8] Tapia forest is found on the drier western slopes, which are in the rain shadow of the central uplands, between 600 and 1,600 meters elevation.

Tapia (Uapaca bojeri) is a characteristic canopy tree, together with Leptolaena pauciflora, L. bojerana, and Sarcolaena oblongifolia.

The trees have gnarled branches and small leaves, forming a mostly closed canopy 10 to 12 meters high which provides light shade on the forest floor.

Other trees include Asteropeia densiflora, Agarista salicifolia, Pterophylla spp., Dodonaea madagascariensis, Faurea forficuliflora, Brachylaena microphylla, Dicoma incana, Baronia taratana, Abrahamia buxifolia, Neocussonia bojeri, Alberta spp., and Enterospermum spp.

The understory is typically shrubs, including species of Erica, Vaccinium, Asteraceae (Senecio, Vernonia, Psiadia, Conyza, and Helichrysum), Rubiaceae, and Leguminosae.

Vegetation grows in crevices and on thin mats of coarse soil, and is often sparse and rarely more than two meters high.

Revivescent plants, which periodically dry out and then revive when rains return, include the moss-like Selaginella echinata and the ferns Pellaea, Actiniopteris, and Notholaena.

[7] Above 2000 meters the sclerophyll forests transition to the high-elevation ericoid thickets, which are considered a distinct subalpine ecoregion.

The rufous-headed ground roller (Atelornis crossleyi), grey-crowned tetraka (Xanthomixis cinereiceps) and forest rock thrush (Monticola sharpei) are largely endemic to the ecoregion.

The yellow-bellied sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha), Madagascar yellowbrow (Crossleyia xanthophrys), and cryptic warbler (Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi) are native to the subhumid forests and to the higher-elevation ericoid thickets.

[11] The central highlands are the most densely populated region of Madagascar, and includes the country's capital and largest city, Antananarivo.