THE SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE 309 



great profusion. One of these, the yellow 0. cernua, is a rampant 

 grower which has become a troublesome weed in parts of the 

 Mediterranean and Australia, where it was introduced as an 

 ornamental plant. 



Very abundant and conspicuous are the many species of Mes- 

 embryanthemum (''ice-plant," etc.) which are so extensively 

 planted in California and other warm temperate countries. 



Giant sundews with pink flowers the size of a half dollar, are 



Fig. 85. — Vegetation of very dry central Karoo. Mesembryanthemum calamiforme, 

 Cotyledon hemisphaerica (?). Photo., Dr. W . A. Cannon. 



common, and again remind one of West Australia, where this genus 

 is also extraordinarily developed. 



The Compositae, as in most other countries, are much in 

 evidence, and include very showy species many of which have 

 been introduced into cultivation. Especially showy are the many 

 species of Gazania, with white, yellow or orange flowers. Much 

 like these are Dimorphotheca and Arctotis, also sometimes seen 

 in cultivation. 



Leguminosae are common, and include some showy species, 

 e. g., Sutherlandia frutescens, but they are much less abundant 

 than in Australia. 



Grasses and sedges are not specially abundant in the open 

 places where so many showy flowers are found, but neverthel< 



