THE PLANT ECOLOGY OF THE COAST BELT OF NATAL. 393 



within reach of the sprM.y. It occurs, however, usually not 

 on the more exposed portions of the beach where there are 

 long- stretches of sand, but rather in more sheltered places, 

 or among- the few isolated patches of rock or near the river- 

 mouths, where the soil is sandy. 



(f) Stenotaphrum g'labrum. — This is a very connnon 

 seashore grass, and its prostrate rooting stems soon form a 

 close carpet over any bare stretches of sand or sandy soil 

 Avhere the soil-water is not salt. It is not confined to the 

 beach, for it often extends through the open spaces and along 

 the foot-paths in the psammophilous bush. It also occurs 

 frequently in sandy soil behind the dunes and further inland. 

 It is largely used for making lawns. 



(g) Dacty loctenium fegyptiacum. — Anotlier grass 

 very similar in its growth-form, mode of occurrence and 

 general ecological behaviour to the Stenotaphrum. The 

 tAvo last-mentioned grasses are often associated to form a 

 single associes. 



(h) All the above form consocies or associes. Mixed with 

 them there is a considerable variety of other species, some of 

 which form small clumps or socies, all of them being of a 

 halophytic character (PI. XXII, fig. 2). The Composita3 

 are represented by C r y p t o s t e m m a n i v e u m , B r a c h y 1 £e n a 

 discolor, Osteospermum monilif erum, Dimorplio- 

 theca fruticosa (581), Helichrysum teretif oliuni; 

 G a z a n i a u n i f 1 o r a , B e r k h e y a m a r i t i m a , 1 h o n n a 

 ^arnosa var. discoidea, Launasa bellidif olia. 



Near the upper transitional margin the following grasses 

 occur : P a n i c u m maximum, P . m e y e r i a n u m , P . z i z a n i - 

 oides, and sometimes other species of Panicum; Ehrharta 

 calycinaand E. erecta (both common) ; Eleusine indica, 

 Sporobolus indicus, Eragrostis curvula, E. plana, 

 with several other common ruderal species. The Asclepia- 

 dacete have Schizoglossum euphorbioides and the 

 climbing species Cynanchum obtusifolium (common), 

 with C . capense and C. natalitium (rarer). The Legu- 

 minosas ai'e represented by Tephrosia canescens. Can a- 



