AN (ECOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE ]\rTDLANDS 01-' NATAL. 535 



gerrardi, Myosotis af ra-palustris, Mentha aqua- 

 tica, Lythrum sp., Alchemilla capensis, Geranium 

 caff rum, Ranunculus pinnatus, Hypericum lalandii, 

 H. sp., Epilobium capense, E. hirsutum. 



7. THE PLANT FOEMATIONS OF THE STREAMS AND 



RIVERS. 



(1) High Veld Region. 



In the hio'h veld reo-ion, if we bes-in at the sources of the 

 streams (or spruits as they are called in S. Africa) and 

 follow them downwards, the following is the succession of 

 tyj)es of vegetation. 



(a) The whole upper part of the stream valley, if it has 

 the southerly aspect, is filled w^ith bush of the type already 

 described — the rocky stream bush (see p. 520). 



(b) In many places this bush has been destroyed and we 

 have the bush-clearing also already described. 



(c) If the bush clearing has been replaced by veld, the 

 sides of the valley have Andropogon associations, while 

 near to the stream the taller species of Andropogon and 

 vlei grasses with Cyperacese dominate. 



(d) In the case of streams which do not face south or 

 south-east, and consequently do not possess the proper 

 exposure for bush, the upper parts have often a few of the 

 trees and shrubs which compose the rocky hillside formation, 

 such as : 



Heteromorpha arborescens, Panax gerrardi, 

 Buddleia salvi^efolia, Combretum riparium, Ficus 

 capensis, Massa rufescens, Burchellia capensis, 

 Ehretia hottentotica, as well as the following : 



Ficus natalensis. Erica urceolaria, Myrica sethio- 

 pica, Podocarpus thunbergii, P. elongata. Ilex 

 capensis, Pygjeum africanum, Scolopia zeyheri, S. 

 (ecklonii). Erica cooperi, E. cubica, Cyathea dregei, 

 Lomaria boreana, Osmunda regalis, Gleichenia 

 umbrae ulif era. 



