THE PLANT ECOLOGY OF THE COAST BELT OF NATAL. 439 



climber (o.) , Sandei'sonia aurantiaca (o.) and Littonia 

 modes ta (o.), both with tuberous rootstocks. 



CoMMELiNACEJE. — Commeliiia nudiflora, 0. bengha- 

 lensis, C. africana, C. krebsiana, C. eckloniana, C. 

 gerrardi, Aneilema asquinoctiale (284), A. dregeauum, 

 A. sinicum, Coleotrype natalensis (48), Cyanotis 

 nodiflora, Floscopa glomerata, weak, straggling, suc- 

 culent annual herbs, common among the grasses and shrubs 

 of the marginal zone. Most of them are also common as 

 weeds. 



Flagellariace.e. — Flagellaria guineensis, tall, herba- 

 ceous climber, with tendril-tipped leaves (a.). 

 Palm.?-;. — Phoenix reclinata (l.a.). 



x\roide.^<\ — Stylochiton natalense (207), (r.) ; Rich- 

 ardia africana (Zantedeschia asthiopica), common in 

 moist places. 



Cyperace.^^:. — Many of the vlei species are common along 

 the margins. Cyperus albostriatus is abundant in fairly 

 dense shade, forming larger societies. 



Gramine.t-;. — In addition to those already dealt with, Pani- 

 cum laticomum, Oplismenus africanus, Potamophila 

 prehensilis penetrate through the scrub in dense shade. 



The 700 odd species, which can be referred to this type, 

 include about half the total number recorded for the coast 

 belt. The majoi'ity, however, are marginal species, since the 

 conditions of light or shade, moisture or dryness, vary very 

 much in this zone. If we exclude the gi'asses of the marginal 

 belt, the percentages of species belonging to different growth- 

 foi"ms in the scrub as a whole work out approximately as 

 follows : climbers 24 per cent. ; trees (including the forest 

 species as they occur in the scrub) 15 per cent.; small trees 

 or shrubs (species variable in growth-foi'm) 8 per cent. ; 

 shrubs 17 per cent, ; undershrubs 10 per cent. ; herbs 21 per 

 cent. ; epiphytes 2 per cent. ; parasites 3 per cent. 



The climbers are extremely abundant, both individually 

 and in number of species. They cover the pioneer shrubs and 

 trees around the margins and increase the shade, thus decreas- 



