Floristik, Geographie, Systematik etc. 391 



obtainable, the Vegetation is richer than might be expected owing 

 to the presence of sea-fogs bearing a considerableamount of moisture. 

 The plant formations are few in number, and are described. 



Sea shores: many parts are shifting sands without plan'ts, other 

 parts are rocl^ and not essentially different from the higher ground. 

 In the lagoons Salicornia uatalensis, and Bassia diffusa, are the 

 prineipal plants. 



Sandy tracts and dunes: away from the shore and for 20 miles 

 inland, the sand is saline, but moisture due to sea-fogs aids in the 

 development of a scattered Vegetation. Sa/sola Zeyheri, a low shrub 

 (illustrated in a habitat-figure) is the most common and in this desert 

 is valuable as fodder for cameis and as fuel; Lyciutn tetandrum , 

 Eragrostis spinosa, Ammophila arenaria, Statice scabra, Mesembrian- 

 themum Marlothii are common. 



Rocky hüls: the Vegetation is more varied but nowhere closed. 

 Interesting ecological notes are given on common species: Aloe 

 diclwtoma, several species of Euphorbia and Mesembrianthemum. 

 Adaptation to fierce sand-laden gales is illustrated in Pteronia suc- 

 culenta and Pituranthus aphyllus, Lebeckia multißora is mentioned 

 as one of the species on which fogs condense so that sufficient 

 water runs down the stems in a night to moisten the ground to a 

 depth of 15 cm. 



Gravel plains lie further inland and at a higher altitude. Sand- 

 laden winds are still an important factor, whereas fogs are rarer, 

 hence plant-life is very scanty even in Lichens. Occasional parts 

 are oecupied by Sarcocaulon Burmanni with a thick corky bark 

 impregnated by wax, fat, and resin so that they burn readily 

 (Candle-bush). The courses of Underground rivers afford special 

 conditions more favourable to plants; Acanthosicyos horrida is noted 

 as present in places with Underground water. 



A list of the more common and representative plants of the 

 Namib is given. W. G. Smith. 



Pellegrin, F., Contribution ä l'etude de la flore de l'Afri- 

 que occidentale. (Not. syst. IL 2—3. p. 62— 81. Juin— aoüt 1911.) 



Cette note est la revision des Meliacees des colonies francaises 

 de l'Afrique Occidentale et du Congo, d'apres les collections 

 envoyees au Museum de Paris par de nombreux voyageurs Apres 

 avoir donne une cle des genres, au nombre de 14, qu'il a pu etu- 

 dier, l'auteur indique pour chaeun d'eux ses caracteres, les especes 

 de l'herbier du Museum avec leurs localites, dont beaueoup sont 

 nouvelles. Quelques especes inedites de Pierre sont decrites en 

 quelques mots: Heckeldora acuminata Pierre mss., H. Klainei Pierre 

 mss., Trichilia caloneura Pierre mss., Khaya KlaUiei Pierre mss. Le 

 genre Pynaertia, rapproche par Wilde man des Turraea, n'appar- 

 tient pas aux Meliacees. J. Offner. 



Praeger, R. L., Cläre Island Survey. Part 10: Phanerogamia 

 and Pteridophyta. (Repr. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. XXXI. 112 pp. 

 5 plates and map. Pr. 4/—.) 



This survey which has been in progress for 3 years, is of con- 

 siderable importance since it has made an exhaustive study of one 

 of the many islands on the Atlantic side of Britain, and special 

 attention has been given to problems relating to distribution, seed- 

 dispersal, and the origin of the flora. This part is one of a series 



