228 A NOTE ON THE FLORA OF WINTERHOEK RANGE. 



On the dry slopes leading to the back of the Little Winter- 

 hoek, the dominant plants were two species of Restiacece, while 

 common in isolated patches was Pentaschistis curvifolia. The 

 other species found on these slopes are plants with underground 

 root-stocks, bulbs, or tubers, and prostrate plants. All the plants 

 growing to a height of 9 to 1 8 inches have either reduced, 

 leathery, or very woolly leaves. Rafuia ovata has broad leaves 

 resembling those of a niesophyte, but these are borne on shoots 

 which spring from underground buds. The prostrate species are 

 represented by Serniria cygnea and Erica thiiiiifolia ; species with 

 reduced leaves by such plants as Erica PUikcnetii; leathery- 

 leaved plants by Cliff ortia {ilicifolmf) ; species witli woolly leaves 

 by Hernias gigantia; and Asparagus ( retrofactiis) 

 represents s])ecies with phyloclades. In a marshy 

 patch on this sloj^e were several typical hydrophytes 

 as Oropenthea elegans, Hypoxis stellata, Cyrtanthiis sp., 

 Oxalis obtiisa, Ufricitlaria sp., Lxia scariosa var., and species of 

 Drosera. In a stream a tall Senecio ( 5". rigidits) was the domi- 

 nant plant, but Psoralca pinnata and Thaumochorus sp. were very 

 common. As an undergrowth among the above three species 

 were Selago spuria, Hebenstreitia- den fata, Geranium canescens, 

 GnaphaVunn. litfeo-albuni. Hippia gracilis, Guuiiera perpensa 

 Zaiitcdeschia a^lhiopica. Anthospcruuim n^thiopicinn, and Scirpus 

 costatus. 



Senecio rigidus grows actually in the stream mixed with 

 Scirpus costatus. and as a definite fringe to the stream appears 

 Thamnochortiis sp.. outside of which is Psorolea pinnata. These 

 three sjjccies intermingle somewhat, but the general imi)ression is 

 that of three distinct zones. On the steep slopes on either side of 

 the stream was the typical dry-slope vegetation described above, 

 with the addition of Gacania { krebsiana?) , Thesium sp.. Diosnm 

 vulgaris. Aulas cueorifolia, and Morcca angusfata. 



To the south of the Great Winterhoek is a high peak, almost 

 6,000 feet in altitude, and connected with the A\'interhoek by a 

 nek. The slopes of this peak up to 5,000 feet are covered princi- 

 pally with grasses and sedges, and with very little bush. At a 

 lower altitude. 4,500 feet, Protea ntelliferai four to five feet high) 

 forms sub-dense thickets, while at 5,000 feet this species only 

 occurs as isolated bushes, together with scattered jilants of Meta- 

 lasia tnuricata. Stoebe cinerea, so abundant in the Sneeuwgat 

 Valley, is found occasionally at 4,500 feet, but disapjjears at 5,000 

 feet. Among the plants found between 4,500 and 5,00 feet are 

 Hydrocotyle virgata.'n semi-])rostrate wmXcrshrwh ^Rochea jasniinca 

 growing on rocks ; Cliff ortia junipcrina, a small bush not common ; 

 Pentaschistis pallescens, one of the commonest grasses growing 

 in scattered clum])s, more especially at 5.000 feet; Erica invohi- 

 crata, not common at tliis altitude ; Erica cristcrflora, f recjuently 

 found in the shade of rocks; Elegia pan'iftora is one of the 

 dominant species at 4,500 feet, but becomes very scattered at 



