TIw Bale 1II0untain range is located between the wet east Africml 1II0untains (propel~ and thern(by northeast AfNcan 1II0untains, Southeast Ethiopia. TIlis 1II0untain range hosts sOllie ofrnendelllic flora and fauna which are endangered of extinction. TIle 1II0St extensive Ericaceousrnvegetation in the continent is found in Bale Mountains. TIle southem slope of this 1II0untainrnrange is Imown for its distinct vegetation zonation of the Aji'omontane forests. TIle Ericaceousrnvegetation between the montane forest and the afroalpille of this slope is relatively littlerndisturbed than other similar Ericaceous vegetation elsewhere in AjiÂ·ica.rnStltdy on the distribution and structure of this vegetation was made all the sOllthem slope,rnHarrena escmpment. TIle vegetation north of Rira village, between 3000m and 4200m wasrnsampled after selecting continuous homogenous sites systematically alollg the altitudinalrngradient. Cover abundance of the species for vascular plants, frequency, height and DBH forrnwoody treeline species were taken in 110 quadrats. TIle envirollmental parameters alollg thernaltitudinal gradiellt illcluding soil pH, texture, total lIitrogen, and soil moisture werernmeasured. Altitude, slope, alld aspect were measured for all qudrats. All the envirollmelltalrnalld vegetatioll data were allalyzed with SYlltax, Calloco, Millitab and Sigma plot.rnTIlirteell commullity types were described and their distributioll showed a clear pattern atrndifferellt parts of the Ericaceous vegetatioll. However some of the COIII/III11/ity types which werernrestricted to the Afroalpille belt were foulld ill the Ericaceous vegetation. TII;s might be arnpossible illdicatioll of the e;..pansion of the aji'oalpine belt to lower altitude, evell below 3400 mrn(Erica domillated Hagellia-Hypericum zOlle).rnTIle alia lysis of distribution of sevell tree alld shrub species showed that SchefJlera volkensiirnwas restricted to the lower part of the Ericaceous vegetatioll (Erica domillated HagelliaHypericumrnzOlle) and H. revolutum, R. melallophloes alld D. pellllillervium occur both at lowerrnalld celltral parts of the Ericaceous vegetation. E. trim era and E. arborea occur in all the threernparts of the Ericaceous vegetation. TIle density of trees (propel~ was higher at lower parts ofrnthe Ericaceous vegetation than the celltral part.The analysis of distribution of seven tree and shrub species showed that SchefJIera volkel/siirnlVas restricted to the 10IVer part of the Elicaceous vegetation (Erica dominated Hagel/iaH)rn1Jericlim zone) and H. revollltllm, R. melanophloes and D. penninervillm occllr both at lowerrnand cel/tral parts of tbe Ericaceous vegetation. E. trimera and E. arb area occllr in all tbe threernparts of tbe Ericaceolls vegetation. The densily of trees (propel) was higber at lower parts ofrntbe Ericaceolls vegetation tban tbe central part.rnThe height of the tree and sbrllb species has shown a decreasing tendency with increase inrnaltill/de. This trend was velY gradllal for E. trimera. The species occllrs for about 1.2 kmrnaltiludinal range sbowing difference in heigbt and habit along altitudinal gradient. Tbernregression analysis (/=0.58) bas shown a consistent decrease in height along altilude. Nornabrupt transition was docllmellted in the systematically selected continuolls Ericaceousrnvegetation.rnAmong the environmellfal parameters taken altitude was the strongest explanatOlY variable.rnSoil pH, and texture have shown stronger correlation wilh altilude. Wbile percent totalrnnitrogen was showing more significant (p