237 



were growing abundantly. The sand was deposited between its 

 closely growing and erect leaves and more or less covered these; 

 sometimes the plant was quite overwhelmed by blown sand, but 

 then numerous young lateral shoots emerged from the buried shoots, 

 quickly growing erectly to the surface. Everywhere in such locali- 

 ties leaves and the tips of the shoots were seen emerging from the 

 sand, whereas no long runners which elsewhere creep over the 

 surface were seen here. In its whole mode of growth it here very 

 much resembled Haliantlms peploides of our shores. It has to be 



Fig. 24. Low dunes covered by Sesuvium portulacastrum L. near the planta- 

 tion "Northside" on St. Groix. (F. B. phot.) 



emphasized however, that there is no question here of larger sand- 

 drift, as only quite small areas of sand occur on this otherwise 

 rocky shore. 



As in my earlier paper I include in the Pes caprce formation 

 firstly the herbaceous plants of the sea-shores, which are distinguished 

 by their long, creeping, most frequently rooted tendrils, namely 

 Ipomcea pes caprce (L.) Sw. and further, to mention the most 

 important: Canavalia ohtusifolia (Lam.) P. DC, Philoxerus vermi- 

 culatus (L.) R. Br., Sesuvium portulacastrum L., Stenotaphrum 

 americanum Schrank, Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kth. and other 



