A N(^TE ON THE FLORA OF WINTERHOEK RANGE. 23I 



These hgures prove quite conclusively that the habit of the 

 species inhabiting this region is influenced by the rigorous condi- 

 tions under which they live. Nearly 60 per cent, of the species 

 are prostrate plants with winter buds below the surface of the 

 soil, or a few inches above the ground-level (^Hemicryptophytes 

 and Chanijephytes), while the "bushes" (Nanophanerophytes) 

 only constitute 15. 10 per cent, of the flora. If the Geophytes and 

 Therophytes, as a general class, are included witlj the Hemi- 

 cryptophytes and Chamaephytes as representing a type adapted 

 for tiding over adverse climatic conditions, we then find that 

 79.16 per cent, of the flora of the Winterhoek and environs is 

 of this extremely xerophytic type. This, however, is not so 

 important from the point of view in which these investigations 

 are being pursued, as the predominance of the Hemicrypto- 

 phytes and Chamaephytes in the flora. Wq know that the high 

 mountains of South Africa carry a sub-alpine type of vegeta- 

 tion, but I do not know of any systematic investigation on this 

 point dealing with the Western Province flora. The results as 

 given in this paper are not of much value in themselves ; many 

 such mountain peaks must be worked on the same lines, the results 

 obtained co-ordinated and compared with those of lower altitudes 

 in the vincinity of the peaks explored. It is only then tliat any 

 definite statements can be made regarding the mountain flora of 

 South Africa. Reverting back to the type of plants, the small 

 number (three) of Microphanerophytes is noticeable when com- 

 pared with the list of small trees found at the foot of the moun- 

 tain. 



Plants with woody stems, quite irrespective of their form, 

 constitute 54.22 per cent, of the flora, while the herbs or herba- 

 ceous plants make up the remaining 45.77 per cent. A stud}- 

 of the leaf -characters of plants growing in areas under the same 

 climatic conditions may lead to some general conclusions if 

 several such floras are worked, and I have adopted here a similar 

 scheme to that employed in my paper on the French lloek flora. 



The bulk of the species possesses sessile, alternate, entire, 

 expanded, glabrous leaves. Linear leaves are fairly common, 

 but deeply incised (or compound), cricoid, terete, revolute (or 

 involute), leathery, or hairy leaves are less common. These facts 

 are naturally corollated with the predominance of I lemicrypto- 

 ])hytes and Chamaephytes present in the flora. The species in 

 this region have not only to contend against a summer drought 

 as the plants of the valleys, but have also to make provision 

 against the cold of winter, when the ground is covered with 

 snow for two or three months in the year, which kills the aerial 

 vegetative shoots, but does not injure the dormant winter buds. 

 In the period intervening between two winters, the plant produces 

 a type of leaf best fitted for rapid transpiration, assimilation, 

 and respiration, .so that it may build up in as short a time as 

 possible reserve food for the following year's underground 

 stem, and at the same time produce flowers and fruit before the 



