229 



Gominonly intermingled among these are also Sesuvium portula- 

 castrum L. (Fig. 19) and Philoxerus vermiculatus (L.) R. Br. both 

 with prostrate, rooting branches. Here and there Bacopa monniera 

 (L.) Wettst. is also found forming small, low, pale-green tufts. Of 

 Gramineae Stenotaphnim americanum Schrank. is particularly often 

 seen with foot-long rooting branches. 



The vegetation is commonly very scattered, the clayish soil 

 everywhere being visible between the plants; it is rare that 

 larger areas are covered with a more continuous growth. Especially 

 Batis but also Salicornia often form nearly the whole vegetation, 



Fig. 19. Sesuvium portulucastrum L. Part of a prostrate, rooting branch 



(about '^/s nat. size.) 



growing often belt-like in such a way that we have a distinct 

 Batis or Salicornia association. 



Besides on these larger marsh-like plains, this vegetation is also 

 common inside the mangrove vegetation where it commonly occurs 

 together with Laguncularia, where this is growing more scattered. 

 It is especially Batis which is found here, and which, overshadowed 

 by Laguncularia^ becomes more erect than on the open localities; 

 but in dense Laguncularia -forest Batis disappears altogether; here 

 the ground is quite bare and the same is the case below the 

 Rhizophoras, which is easily understood where this is growing in 

 deep water but even where the bottom is nearly laid dry I have 

 not seen any vegetation of salt-bushes below Bhizophora, and the 

 reason is certainly that it is too dark here. 



