234 Report 8. A. A. Advancement of Science. 



therefore included the Selai/inece in the family Scrophidariaceo', and' 

 the Vacchiiacecv in the Ericaceo', althougli they are treated as separate 

 families in the Flora Cajjensis : I have also separated the Velloziacete 

 from the Amaryllidace(f. 



I have also followed the same authors in transferring Heteropyxis 

 from the Lythracea' to the Myrtacea^, and Xymalos from the Flacourtiaceci- 

 to the Monimiacea'. 



I have long been dissatisfied with Hackel's treatment of the genus 

 Andropogon, and am glad to find that Dr. Stapf considers it desirable 

 to split this heterogeneous group. I have therefox'e followed him in 

 his recent decision to maintain Heteropogon and Cymbopogon. I have 

 also treated Sorgluun as a genus distinct from Andropogon. As regards 

 the remaining genera of Gramineo', I have adhered to the treatment 

 given in the Flora Capensis. 



Tlie altitudinal range as far as known is also given ; but it should 

 be clearly understood that this is approximate onl}^ owing to the lack 

 of accurate information (in many cases) as to the actual altitudes. 



Our knowledge of the geological distribution and ecological features 

 of our flora are at present ver}' limited, but wherever known we have 

 endeavoured to indicate them. 



Zones (»f Vegetation. 



In previous comnninications to this Association I have dealt with 

 the principal zones of vegetation in the Transvaal. Without repeating 

 the details I will simply recapitulate the main divisions : — 



(1) The Mist-belt Forest of the Drakensberg, ranging from 4000 

 to 5500 ft. above sea-level, and characterised by a dense forest growth 

 which in main composition is a northern extension of the Knysna and 

 Amatola forests of Cape Colony. A very few of the component species 

 are found to extend westward into moist, shaded kloofs of the Magalies- 

 berg and Waterberg ranges ; with this exception, however, the line of 

 demarcation between the Forest and Savainiah floras is most clearly 

 defined, scarcely an\' species being found common to the two. It is 

 characterised by the presence of such genera as Podocarpufi, (Jiirtisia, 

 Afodyte^, Oli'nia, MyroxyJon, RapaiiPa., Halleria, Beyoiiia, Pi2)er, Pepe- 

 roviia, Py(/enm, JVichocladuK, Calodendruni,, Ilex, Cryptocarya, Ocotea, 

 Piff.osporum and Pubiif<. Ferns and epiphytic lichens, mosses and 

 I/fjyafiae abound in the humid shade of the forest. 



(2) The Grass-steppe of the High Veld, ranging in altitude from 

 approximately 4000 ft. to 7500 ft. above sea-level. This occupies the 

 whole of the main upper plateau. The chief phytological feature of 

 this zone is the dominance of the family Graminea' over other forms 

 of \egetation. The component species are not the same, however^ 

 throughout the whole area ; diff'erent belts of vegetation are met with 

 in difterent soils and with differing rainfall, e.g. at the higher altitudes 

 of the eastern portion a semi-}>eat formation occuis, while in the extreme 

 south-west elements of the nortliern or Composite Region of the northern 



