THK PLANT KGOLOGY OF DRAKENSBERG RANGE. 545 



absent from the part of the range which faces north-east from 

 Cathkin Peak to the Mont aux Sources. This is relatively a 

 stable type. As is the case elsewhere in Natal, resulting from 

 man's interference and reckless destruction as well as from 

 grass-fires, this bush is often rapidly disappearing, yet the 

 natural ecological succession is rocky scrub — scrub — bush. 



The following may be taken as the typical composition of 

 the Drakensberg bush. The trees composing it are named in 

 the order of their ecological importance : 



Fodocarpus thunbergii, Podocarpus elongata, 

 Podocarpus falcata (Yellow- woods). 



Celtis kraussiana (Camdeboo Stink wood). 



Kiggelaria dregeana (Natal Mahog;iny). 



Toddalia lanceolata (White Ironwood). 



Scolopia ecklonii (Red Pear). 



My r sine melanophleos (Beukenhout). 



Ptaeroxylon utile (Sneezewood). 

 Of less importance : 



Calodendron capense (Wild Chestnut). 



Xantlioxylon capense (Knobwood), 



Pygeum africanum (Red Stinkwood). 



Olea lauri folia (Ii'onwood). 



Olinia cymosa (Hard Pear). 



0. cymosa is quite abundant, but usually somewhat out- 

 side the bush : it often reaches fairly high altitudes. The 

 trees mentioned above are all important timber trees. 



The following are of less economic importance : 



Pleurostylia capensis, Elaeodendron spp,, Crypto- 

 carya acuminata, Schmidelia monophylla, Trimeria 

 alnifolia, Apodytes dimidiata. The presence of such 

 species as Calodendron capense, which is easily killed 

 by frost, shows how important it is to have a sufficient 

 gradient to secure rapid cold-air drainage. Frosts regularly 

 occur below the bush. Calodendron, Celtis, and Ptasr- 

 oxylon are deciduous forms. 



Around the margin of the bush we have the following 

 Buddleia salviaef olia, Halleria lucida, Rhus dis- 



