THE PLANT ECOLOGY OF THE COAST BELT OF NATAL. 401 



4. Grassveld. 

 (The initial stages of the xerosere.) 



The grassveld on the coast belt is relatively iiot nearly so 

 extensive as in the midlands or mountain reo'ions of Natal 

 or in any other part of the Eastern Grassveld region of South 

 Africa. Such portions of grassveld as do occur are also 

 relatively far more unstable than that of the midlands, giving 

 way everywhere readily to scrub. At the present time this 

 fact is partly obscured owing to both scrub and grassveld 

 areas being planted with sugar-cane all along the coast belt, 

 but there can be no doubt as to the indications in those 

 portions which remain uncultivated. Apart from its relative 

 instability, the grassveld — at least in so far as the commoner 

 grasses are concerned — does not differ very markedly from 

 midland grassveld, though its subtropical nature is shown 

 by the inclusion of a number of tropical or northern Transvaal 

 species, e. g. Pollinia villosa, Pogonarthria falcata 

 Perotis latifolia, Andropogon hirtiflorus. 



The chief stages of the succession in the xerosere are as 

 follows : 



(a) LiTHOPHYTES. — Lichcus are relatively quite unimportant. 

 Mosses and hepatics are much more abundant, the following 

 being representative: Weisia viridula (L.) Hedw., W. 

 hypoleuca Wag. & Broth., Campy lop us nauum C. N., 

 Fissidens bryoides {L.) Hedw., Bartramidula globosa 

 (C N.) Broth, (moist rocks) ; Macromitrium lycopo- 

 dioides {Burch.) 8chiv. and several species of Brachy- 

 thecium and Rhyncostegium ; also the hepatics 

 Notoscyphus lutescens {L. & L.) Mitt., Blyttia lyelli 

 G. & L. & N. and Fimbriaria marginata Nees. 



Selaginella rupestris is a frequent lithophyte, and in 

 very shallow soil over bare flat rocks there are found several 

 species of Crassula, Cyanotis nodiflora and small 

 annuals, e. g. Limeum vis co sum. 



(b) Chomophytes ok Crevice Plants. — Practically any seed 

 may germinate in a rock crevice and the seedling establishes 



