530 J. W. BEWS. 



about certain changes in the vegetation, both floristically and 

 oecologically. The mountain has the flat top so characteristic 

 of S. African mountain scenery. The rainfall is very high 

 over the top of the mountain, though no exact figures are 

 available. The deposition of moisture is even much greater 

 than any figures would indicate;, as so much of it comes in the 

 form of mist. The rain-clouds usually strike the south-east 

 side first, and this side is clothed with the type of bush already 

 described. On the top, as a result of the high rainfall, Ave 

 find marshy spots in depressions, while the higher portions 

 ai'e often washed completely bare of soil. In other places the 

 soil that is left is a coarse, heavy sand or gravel. The vegeta- 

 tion is, therefore, very mixed, varying from the most extreme 

 xerophytes to marsh plants. 



On the sides of the mountain the usual veld grasses pass 

 right up to the top, except on the south side, where there is 

 bush. Being of the unstable type the Andropogon species 

 are the natural dominant grasses, bnt they have been largely 

 replaced by Aristida junciformis. 



However, the presence of the following grasses gives a dis- 

 tinctive character to this veld of higher altitude : 



Harpechloa capensis, Microchloa caffra, M. altera 

 var. nelsoni, Anthoxanthum ecklonii, Tristachya 

 leucothrix, Eragrostis brizoides, E. chalcantha, 

 Axonopus semialatus (early spring). 



The following associated plants are also distinctive : 



Crassula (many species), Stachys fethiopica var. 

 glandulif era, Stachys sp., Orthosiphon teucrif olius, 

 Cycnium racemosum, C. adonense, Sebasa sedoides, 

 S. crassul^f olia, Helichrysum adenocarpum, H. 

 spp., Watsonia meriana. 



On the north side there are a few patches of rocky hillside 

 formation consisting of — 



Grreyia sutherlandi. Aloe natalensis, A. cooperi, 

 Buddleia salvitefolia, and the bracken association 

 (Pteris aquilina) above these approaching the top. 



On the south side along the upper margin of the bush 



