254 J. AV. BEWS. 



GRASSLAND OR VELD : 



(10) High Level Veld, Grasses . 



(11) Low Level Veld, Grasses 



(12) Associated Veld Plants 



(13) Mabsh oe Vlei Types, Dominant Plants 



(14) Associated Plants op the Vleis 



(15) Aquatic Types 



(16) Secondary Associations 



List of English, Dutch and Kafir Names of Plants 

 Explanation of Plates .... 



314 

 316 

 318 

 320 

 322 

 323 

 324 



325 



329 



Introduction. 



Since taking up my duties at the Natal University College, I 

 have devoted a considerable amount of time to the study of the 

 flora of Natal, chiefly from the oecological standpoint, and on 

 the invitation of Dr. Warren I propose giving in this paper 

 a general account of the facts that I have learned. 



The initial difficulties involved in becoming acquainted with 

 what was to me an entirely new flora have been lessened by 

 the fact that I have had the help of Mr. T. E. Sim, late Con- 

 servator of Forests for Natal, who has always been most willing 

 to give me the benefit of his great botanical knowledge and 

 experience, and whose assistance throughout has been more 

 than I can adequately acknowledge. 



I am also indebted to Mr. Medley Wood who has put at 

 my disposal the excellent Government Herbarium at Durban. 

 His assistant. Miss Franks, has also assisted me. Mr. W. 

 Abbit has very kindly supplied me with meteorological data. 

 Finally, I have to thank the many kind friends, in various 

 parts of the Colony, whose hospitality I have enjoyed while 

 engaged in this Avork. 



This paper will be divided into two parts. In the first part 

 an account of the nature of the factors influencing plant life 

 in Natal will be briefly discussed, and in the second part a 

 preliminary sketch of the plant formations and associations 

 in Natal will be given. 



