304 J. W. BEWS. 



Again, we have a slight tendency towai'ds becoming- 

 deciduous. Celtis kraussiana is quite so, and Grewia 

 occidentalis and Rhus laevigata ahiiost so. Ehus Itevi- 

 gata in autumn assumes the fall colours, but the leaves 

 remain on until the new ones appear in spring. As com- 

 pared with the bush nearer the coast there is less luxuriant 

 under-growth. There are not very many soft under-herbs. 



Comparison of Coast, Midland, and Yellow Wood Bush. 



Comparing now the bush from the coast upwards we may 

 note the following facts. The coast bush is closely allied to the 

 Tropical East African forest. As we pass up through the 

 Midlands, with rising altitude, the conditions become less 

 tropical, 'l^hough the majority of the trees still extend through 

 the tropics of East Africa, there are exceptions, and many of 

 them that do so extend are confined to the higher altitudes of 

 the tropics. Though there are such points of difference 

 between these three types, and though lloristically, as is 

 shown by the lists, the difference is considerable, yet oeco- 

 logically they can be grouped together as a formation. The 

 majority of the trees flower in spring at the end of the dry 

 season. A few flower in summer, and some are irregular in 

 their time of flowering, e.g. Xymalos monospora and 

 Apodytes dimidiata. 



Epiphytes. — These are not very alnnulant, but the following 

 occur. Among the orchids the various species belonging to 

 the genera Polystachya, Angrascum, and My stacidiumj 

 among ferns Acrostichum tenuifolium, Polypodium 

 africanum, P. incanum, P. lanceolatum, P. lycopo- 

 dioides, Gymnogr amine lanceolata; the filmy ferns 

 Hymenophyllum and Trichomanes, various species; 

 Lycopodiuni saururus, L. verticillatum, L. gnidi- 

 oides; Psilotum triquetrum; Peperomia caffra and 

 Peperomia sp.; Rhipsalis cassytha, Fie us nata- 

 lensis; Dermatobotrys saundersii; among mosses 

 species of Hypnum, Orthotrichum, Leskia; leafy 



