382 J. w. BEws. 



on the north coast from Verulam northwards, but do not 

 occur on the south coast, being replaced there by more 

 mesophytic types of tree veld, which progress towards 

 mesophytic scrul) and forest. 



III. FLORISTIC ANALYSIS. ■ 



In his " Sketch of the Floral Regions of South Africa," 

 Bolus' includes the coast belt of Natal in his south-eastern 

 floral region, a large geographical area comprising the whole 

 eastern side of South Africa. Whde such a large region is 

 homogeneous to a certain extent, and in particular is dis- 

 tinguished by having a summer rainfall, yet there is consider- 

 able diversity in many of the climatic factors. Phillips- has 

 brought forward reasons why the " Eastern Mountain region," 

 consisting of the Drakensberg range, Basutoland, etc-, should 

 be separated both from the " South-eastern" and "Kalahari" 

 floral regions as defined by Bolus, Marloth,^ without entering 

 into details, has mapped off a " South-eastern Coast Belt," 

 Ecologically the climates of the great river valleys contrast 

 very strongly with those of the surrounding hills and ridges, 

 and the difference is reflected in the floristic composition of 

 the vegetation, though not to an extent sufficient to distinguish 

 " floral regions." 



The climate of the Natal coast belt, as already explained, 

 is far more tropical than that of the rest of the South- 

 eastern region, there being a high average mean tempera- 

 ture, an almost total absence of frost, and a faii'ly high 

 relative humidity throughout the year. The vegetation has 

 a very distinct tropical physiognomy, as is disclosed by the 

 most superficial examination. It is seen particularly in the 

 sub-climax and climax types of vegetation, the scrub and 

 forest, the mangrove vegetation, the common weeds, and in 



• Bolus, H., ' Science in South Africa,' 1905. 



^ Phillips, E. P., " A Contribution to the Flora of the Leribe Plateau 

 and Environs," ' Annals of the South African Museum,' 1917. 



^ Marloth. R., ' Report of Brit. Assoc, for Adv. of Science,' Capetown. 

 1905. 



